Look, I’m not here to bash sports. I love football as much as the next person (go Pats!) and there’s no doubt that offering physical education and after-school sports programs are important. However, there DOES appear to be some doubt about the importance of arts education and after-school programs in America; while funding for sports continues to be aggressively protected in many areas, funding for the liberal arts is cut like a bad pizza – no forethought or hesitation, and everyone ends up the worse for it. So here’s just a few reasons why the arts deserve just as much attention and love as sports.
1 . Involvement in the Arts Bolsters Creativity
Whether it be music, visual arts, writing, or whatever floats your boat, the arts allow you to explore your creative side and think outside the box. There aren’t rules in art – you just have to let loose and let your ideas flow. By investing time in this sort of self-expression, creativity has a chance to blossom (and today, creative and problem-solving employees are highly in demand from just about every business). Practice makes perfect, and the more students are exposed to creative outlets like the arts, the more likely it is that they’ll be able to bring innovation into other parts of their lives.
2. Academic Improvement? Sign Me Up!
Yep, involvement in the arts actually improves academic performance. Dancers show strength in memory and motion-processing, musicians demonstrate remarkable auditory-visual discrimination and aural recognition, and students from all artistic fields show significantly better communication skills and discipline in their academic pursuits. As summarized in a notable ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) study, “studies also show that participating in the arts can actually boost student achievement in other academic areas” (Sloan 2009). So no, being a band geek might not always get you to the homecoming court. But it WILL help get you to graduation.
3. Inclusivity, Inclusivity, Inclusivity
The arts are HUGE on inclusivity. When you’re in drama or choir or sculpting, nobody cares whether you’re gay or straight. Nobody cares if you’re the coolest kid in school or if you eat lunch alone in the bathroom (great acoustics to practice your musical audition song, btw). Nobody cares what race or religion or gender you identify as. All that matters is your attitude and your willingness to reach outside of your comfort zone. Everyone has a home in the arts, whether you decide to join a massive club or create private works yourself. This kind of inclusivity can change lives and give traditional outsiders a place they feel like they belong.
