The Benefits of Art Education

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."
- Pablo PIcasso

Why do you need an art education?

There are so many reasons, and many of us don't even need one beyond the fact that an art class can be an exciting change from the rest of our day. But here are few studies that show there are, in fact, quite a few more serious reasons to spend some time as an art student.​​

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• A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation called " A Portrait of the Visual Arts" argues that art education does more than just give students a creative outlet. It can actually help connect them to the larger world, ultimately improving community cohesion. http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG290.pdf
• A 2002 report by the Arts Education Partnership revealed that school children exposed the arts are often more proficient at reading, writing and math. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2002-05-20-arts.htm
• The 2006 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Study  on Art Education shows a link between Art Education and improved literacy skills.  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/27/books/27gugg.html?_r=0 
• A 2010 study of Missouri Public schools in found that greater arts education led to fewer disciplinary infractions, higher attendance, graduation rates and test scores. https://www.missouriartscouncil.org/graphics/assets/documents/b657d9f1adfc.pdf
• In "Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts and the Brain," Johns Hopkins Researchers shared findings showing that arts education can help rewire the brain in positive ways.  http://www.dana.org/Publications/ReportDetails.aspx?id=44335
• A strong arts education offers students experience in "risk management" through the practice of making independent decisions regarding creative outcomes. http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/champions/pdfs/champsreport.pdf

What do the arts have to do with my future?

There is a lot of research to support the idea that students who spend time learning about the arts are more likely to be successful in higher education, but are also more likely to hold gainful employment and volunteer in their communities. Here are some powerful facts from Americans for the Arts:

• Students with an education rich in the arts have historically earned higher grade point averages and scored higher on the SAT than students without an arts education. 
• A student involved in the arts is four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.
• Low income students who are highly engaged in the arts are more likely than their peers with low arts involvement to have obtained gainful employment, completed college, and to have volunteered in their communities. 
• 72% of business leaders said creativity was the number one skill they were looking for when hiring.

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How do I fit the arts into my schedule?

Most students at Redwood find it a challenge to fit electives choices into an already busy schedule. How can you make room for the arts? Teachers, counselors and your peers will all have their own advice. Just make sure you understand the facts and what is right for your skills and interests. Colleges are looking for evidence of passion and genuine interests, alongside academic rigor. This means your class choices will be not be the same as everyone else. Getting beyond the one year requirement will allow you to find out what that means. ​

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*Find out more about what an arts education can offer by learning about our past students' successes on the Alumni page.