National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts

Samuel Lipman, the accomplished pianist, author, critic, and publisher, believed that art is the heritage of all society, thus supporting the arts and education in the arts is the noblest of achievements that should concern not only artists, but politicians, patrons, and the general public as well (Smith).

Evidence from research studies indicates that arts education can have dramatic effects on academic performance, especially for struggling students (Redmond). The 1988 National Education Longitudinal Study found a "significant correlation...between arts participation and academic performance," with gains greatest for students in the "lowest-socioeconomic-status quartile, those most at risk of academic failure" (Redmond). According to several studies, low-performing students who were involved in arts-integrated schools consistently surpassed teachers' expectations (Redmond).

Arts-integrated schools not only improved student test scores, but energize teachers and can lead to more positive changes in schools, including parent participation as their children become involved in performances and exhibitions (Redmond). Moreover, studies indicate that after-school programs that include arts programs attract more higher-risk students than sports or community service programs and had greater academic and developmental benefits for the children (Redmond).

Lipman believed that the "first purpose of arts education is to give young people a sense of civilization...Great works of art illuminate the constancy of the human condition...Without knowledge of such supreme achievements, we are 'culturally illiterate'" (Smith). This knowledge of greatness allows the youth of each generation to "find their place in the stream of time and to attain a degree of self-understanding...Such are the fundamental purposes of the humanities and thus also of a humanities conception of arts education" (Smith). During the early years of schooling, children develop an sense of art that expands as they age and proceed through grade levels (Smith). It is important that children are exposed to art with the understanding that it is a unique form of human experience with its own history of accomplishment; that it is an experience that is valued by society which supports and contributes valuable resources (Smith). By learning the basic principles of design, composition and performing, children discover a range of cultural venues, "all with a view of developing a serious sense of art that will ultimately enable students to transverse the world of art with a degree of autonomy" (Smith). In other words, arts education completes the "circle of humanity," the basic forms of culture that distinguish the human condition, thus an individual can speak of "becoming human through art" (Smith).