Education in art is an important attribute that has the ability to play a huge role in both the workforce and in the everyday classroom. However, art classes seem to be disregarded and stigmatized as just “easy credit” or basic electives. Instead of being core classes, many school systems make them optional “side” classes. The vast list of art classes we have should find a spot in every student’s schedule; the taking of at least one should be a graduation requirement, similar to the requirement of a civics class.
The skills learned in art classes carry over tremendously to real world education and work. The ability to think creatively and collaborate with others are traits learned within the practice of art and greatly sought after by major companies.. According to the National Art Education Association definition, arts integration is “a philosophy, pedagogy, and methodology for teaching and learning in, through, and about the arts to achieve greater understanding across disciplines” (NAEA). Implementing art into the core education has proven to create more engaged, leading, and motivated students. The arts encourage project-based learning and portfolios that show student growth over time. An increase in literacy and advancing math achievement have been notable results that spawn from the growing focus on art.
Aside from the everyday classroom, art has proven itself to be a growing career that has great importance in today’s time. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, art-based careers contributed $792.6 billion to the U.S economy in 2017 (NEA). Some of the many professions that contributed to this were the movie and television business, jewelry manufacturing, and creative advertising - huge industries that all utilize an art influenced education. Major companies that we as people see everywhere, such as Apple, Google, Disney, Dreamworks, and NBC, all seek creative and innovative thinkers that are going to be able to project the direction for the next technological breakthrough, or create a new product that will change our lives for the better. There are so many important jobs for artists that are blanketed by the traditional STEM education. Constructors of the product are important, but who is going to design the product? Advertise it? Create a logo for it? Photograph it?
Art is everywhere, and the need for it will never go away. It is a practice humans have been performing since the start of mankind. From hieroglyphics to apps, to movies, to paintings; the visual arts will never not be apart of our society. If anything, the movement is flourishing in this day in age. Most media is being visualized, and the desire to scan texts for information or entertainment is fading. With a greater emphasis for art in the core education, more and more students will find a passion for something creative, and obtain all of the priceless attributes it provides to who they are as people and thinkers. If schools truly are practicing what they preach by “preparing us for the real world,” the arts should have a heavier focus in the everyday classroom.