Kristen Bleazard

Should we fund art programs?

Art has been put on the back burner of most school budgets. Is art not as important as the other subjects? Is art not beneficial for the people of this country? Art has been a part of human culture since the Stone Age as evident in cave paintings still visible to those who seek them all the way to present day with the proliferation of modern art. Art has been influencing us as a race since the dawn of mankind. In the Roman Empire, art was not seen as lesser to the other studied subjects but as an equal. Music, art and theater were important parts of their culture. The Romans made room for art in their culture and they thrived because of it. In ancient Greece there was even a god that was devoted to art. Art is an obvious part of our history. The budget cuts in education have come about for a number of reasons. Sometimes a budget cut will happen simply because there is maintain the status quo. Other education budget cut because not feel that it is getting the performance, and that the funds elsewhere. Art is no longer seen not affect the mandatory tests core. Should we forget about a hindrance to the common not enough money to times there may be an the governing body does bang for its buck in may be better used as important because it does that come with common the arts then since they are core? When a survey was

conducted it revealed that 93% of those polled thought arts were a vital part of education.

Kristen Bleazard There have been many studies on the relationship between art and its benefits to the developing brain. Semir Zeki, a former professor of neurobiology at the University College, published an article, "Artistic Creativity and the Brain," in Science Magazine, in July of 2001. Zeki said there is a relationship between the development of cognitive abilities and the creative process. He stated artistic expression is the key to comprehending ourselves. He also considered art and its expression as an expansion of brain function. Art is worth the money invested in its teaching. Numerous research studies have proven that students who receive arts education exhibit improvement in their performance in other subjects, including reading and math, as well as scoring higher on standardized tests. Not only has it increased performance, but it has also reduced violent occurrences in schools. Studies show art has a measurable impact on at-risk youth in discouraging delinquent behavior and absenteeism by keeping them engaged. Art does not just affect current students but society as a whole, as well. Art gives us more creative minds; art helps us think outside the box and inspires new solutions to old problems. Art therapy helps the troubled mind; it bases its approach on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people in a number of different positive ways. It facilitates them in resolving their issues or assists them in finding viable solutions to put them on the track to recovery. Art also helps them manage their behavior, develop interpersonal skills, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, lessen stress and attain insight. Art influences society because art involves everything - painting, sculpture, performance arts, music, fashion design - in every facet of our lives there is art. Even nature is art; even the design of our computers can be seen as art. Television programs can also be considered art, as well as theatrical dramas and operatic performances; each of these are performing arts. We may be individuals but we are all interconnected and share a love for one art form or another. When you walk down the street in a city and

Kristen Bleazard look around you, the influences of art, both old and new, are visible everywhere. While some of us may not see all of the many forms that surround us in nearly every setting, each individual will see some of it. That's why art is no longer just about that painting on the wall or that sculpture in a museum; its about all the different creative expressions each unique individual adds in his or her own way. Art can be found tattooed onto the human body, created in the cyber world and viewed on the web, or found on the radio, in your iPod, or even in the architecture of the skyscraper youre walking past. Art is a part of our everyday lives whether we like it or not. Therefore it molds our values and makes or breaks our society. You cannot touch art without touching values: values about home and family, work and play, the individual and society, nature and the environment, war and peace, beauty and ugliness, violence and love. We sensitize students to the fact that values shape all human efforts, and that visual images can affect their personal value choices. All should be given the opportunity to see how art can express the highest aspirations of the human spirit. Art builds connections with people that we would not be able to understand through conventional methods. Art is a language that all people speak. It cuts across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers and enhances cultural appreciation and awareness. Art helps bring down the barriers that we have between one another. It allows two people that dont speak the same language to communicate and even become friends after a fashion. Art is an opportunity for self-expression in all of its varied forms: imagination, feelings, thoughts, and ideas. We live in an extroverted world where the full expressions of these introverted traits are seen only through the manifestation of physical creation. However it is these introverted traits that have the strongest influence on us as a culture.

Kristen Bleazard Within schools art makes a difference in every day student life. Along with the additional improvements in other subjects it helps with the stress and worries of growing up. The arts can give children a safe haven for them where they can relax and smile a bit. I know in high school for me my art class was a place of refuge. Every day I looked forward to that particular class because that was the one place I could be at peace and allowed to think freely and not follow a strict curriculum. In that studio I was allowed to be myself and it is my hope that future students will have their own experiences so they also can reap the benefits of what the creative process gives back to the soul. Art develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal setting skills needed to succeed both in and outside the classroom.. Beyond the qualities of creativity, self-expression, and communication, art is a type of work. This is what art has been from the beginning. This is what art is from childhood to old age. Through art, our students learn the meaning of joy of work; work done to the best of one's ability, for its own sake, for the satisfaction of a job well done. There is a desperate need in our society for a revival of the idea of good work: work for personal fulfillment; work for social recognition; work for economic development. Work is one of the noblest expressions of the human spirit, and art is the visible evidence of that work carried to the highest possible level. Today we hear much about productivity and workmanship. Both of these ideals are strengthened each time we commit ourselves to the endeavor of art. Studies show there is a direct correlation between continued involvement in theater and success in math and reading. Drama can play a significant role in the continual development of a students reading comprehension skills. Studies indicate that not only does the performance of a story and a number of other dramatic activities in the classroom contribute to a students understanding of the work performed, but these experiences also help them to develop a better understanding of other types of subjects and as

Kristen Bleazard well as of language and expression in general. The results below were gleaned from studies where educators and students alike noticed a difference when drama played a part in their classrooms. In addition to building social and communication skills overall, involvement in drama courses and performance has been shown to improve a students self-esteem as well as their confidence in their academic abilities. Theater then must provide something unique from each of these sources, and indeed it does. In an age where we find ourselves isolated in our own digital islands we have a hunger for interpersonal contact. In modern society we have precious few opportunities to gather together in a meaningful way; to explore the human condition. The theater provides communities a way to explore issues while bringing people into the same room. Within this environment a combined effect is built that can provide the kind of personal change that in turn leads to greater societal changes and eventually political changes. Music has intrinsic and instrumental value in and of itself. Music is critical to human development and to creative thought. Music can teach students about syllabification, phonics, vocabulary, imagery, history, myths, culture. Also students musical instrument and discipline while students to learn to children unique folktales, geography, and who take the time to master a learn about hard work, practice, group performances teach work together. Music gives opportunities to create and be

fluent in their thinking. They can respond in unique ways to listening or moving to music and create new songs and rhymes. People not only listen to music, they actively take part in making it. In 1993, in the USA, 62 million people said that they sang or played a musical instrument. In the UK millions of people

Kristen Bleazard sing or play instruments for the love of it. In 1999, 49% of children took instrumental music lessons. The decision to learn an instrument was generally theirs, although teachers were influential in the process, more so than parents. Approximately half of the children who played had a friend or family member who also played an instrument. Estimates of adults playing an instrument have varied between 24-30%. Music acts as a source of information and provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas in relation to all aspects of community. Dance, music, theatre, and visual arts activities enhance our communities through museums, theatres, concert halls, and galleries. Private lessons and instruction, tutoring, and before and after school arts activities, celebrate the artistic interests, strengths, talents, and skills of eager learners. Arts advocacy groups and associations provide much needed grant funding, artist support, and materials to continuously enrich the environments of our communities. These activities and people help to shape the culture of our communities. Art teachers, teaching artists, arts enthusiasts, and volunteers, daily provide instructional and learning opportunities for all ages, all day, and every day! Pablo Picasso once said that Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up. I believe that art is a very crucial part of the educational experience. Arts make it possible to use personal strengths in meaningful ways and to bridge understanding into sometimes difficult abstractions through these strengths. Children need art if they hope to grow into productive, meaningful members of society; Educators and those who fund it must recognize the importance arts programs play in developing young minds. If society hopes to continue to grow and change for the better, it must be an active proponent of keeping the arts in school, where they belong.

Kristen Bleazard