The following is from Americans for the Arts:
Why Ask For More? . . . Just like kids need to have good nutrition on a daily basis, kids need to have their daily serving of the arts. Chances are, though, that your kids are not getting enough art—in or out of school. The arts are much more than just fun "extra" activities for kids. Studies have shown the far-reaching benefits of an arts education.

The Arts:
* Improve kids' overall academic performance.
* Show that kids actively engaged in arts education are likely to have higher test scores than those with little to no involvement.
* Develop skills needed by the 21st century workforce: critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication, teamwork and more.
* Teach kids to be more tolerant and open.
* Allow kids to express themselves creatively and bolster their self-confidence.
* Keep students engaged in school and less likely to drop out.

The arts are enriched with the stuff kids need to succeed. Feed Your Kids the Arts. Here are 10 Simple Ways you can start today to get more art in your child's life.

[top]

Arts Advocacy Day

The 22nd Annual Arts Advocacy Day was held at the Kennedy Center on March 30, 2009. A Congressional hearing entitled The Arts = Jobs was the pinnacle of the Americans for the Arts Advocacy Day activities. It was hosted by House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior Chair Norm Dicks (D-WA), a distinguished panel called on Congress to support strong public policies for the arts, appropriating increased public funding for the arts, and supporting arts workers.

[top]

Resources

Americans for the Arts - www.artsusa.org
Americans for the Arts Action Fund - www.artsactionfund.org/
"The Arts. Ask for More." Public Awareness Campaign - www.americansforthearts.org
National Endowment for the Arts - www.nea.gov
National Guild of Community Schools - www.nationalguild.org
The Arts Education Partnership - www.aep-arts.org
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies - www.nasaa-arts.org

[top]