Arts Education: Benefits, Disparities, and Reaching for Equal Access

Arts education is a unique way to engage students. The arts include, but are not limited to, music, theatre, visual/studio arts, poetry, and dance; they are powerful bridges for students to knowledge and classroom contribution. They assist students with lower academic achievement, problematic behavior, or those who have a likelihood of dropping out of school. While there are plenty of resources displaying the student benefits, there remain inequalities in access to arts education among students across America. Often, areas and schools that generally receive fewer opportunities or less arts funding are ones with more at-risk youth. Disproportionate arts access negatively affects racial, ethnic, and socio-economic minority children. Learning about arts' benefits for children, then studying the reasons behind current inequalities, gaps, and failed solutions may offer insight into greater solutions.