Arts Intranet

In a recent ad campaign, Wells Fargo implied that students shouldn’t pursue a career in the arts. Americans for the Arts strongly disagrees with this statement. 

Fall is sneaking its way into the air slowly here in northwestern Alaska. Soon, the all-night sunshine will be but a memory, the ocean will freeze over, and my job, as an art teacher, will be even more important: we all know how a little creativity can lift the spirits and a little color can turn a dark day around.

Whether an educator, architect, doctor, volunteer, or accountant, we know the arts have had some impact on you. We know the arts develop certain skills in people that prove essential. We know that those skills lead to successes in work and life. Now is our time as a field to share these stories of impact with decision makers. 

This post has nothing to do with the financial implications of music, of the arts, or of education at all, and you won’t see a single chart or dollar sign on this page. Instead, I’m going to highlight a simple economic concept that many of you may have learned at some point, and see if we can use it to open up our minds to a new wrinkle in thinking about arts education.

My own journey in dance has taught me that if you trust in your teachers, your training, your abilities, and your future, everything will come together. Keep the rhythm going!

Everyone can make a difference; together we can make a big difference by pushing to make sure arts programs continue to be funded and offered. By finding new ways to integrate and implement arts programs, we can help kids learn in creative and different manners.