Impact and Value
THE IMPACT and Value OF ARTS EDUCATION

Perhaps, for 1976, the poet Roger McGough was correct when he wrote:

The Arts I expected nothing from.
Good company when they’re sober
But totally unreliable.

'Science, Where Are You?' by Roger McGough  from In the Glassroom (© Roger McGough 1976) is printed by permission of United Agents (www.unitedagents.co.uk) on behalf of Roger McGough.

But nearly 30 years later he is completely incorrect.

Research into the impact of the arts on students, schools and communities has grown steadily since the 1970s. McGough's views reflect a bias common at that time; the arts are all about untrustworthy emotions. Yet, these views have been solidly rejected, and research findings have provided the evidence base upon which the Australian Minister for School Education and Early Childhood and Youth could state on 9 July 2012 that 'every Australian student will study the Arts from their first year of school under the new national Arts curriculum'. He acknowledged, 'education will be transformed with the Arts coming to centre stage'. The Minister for the Arts reinforced this sentiment and asserted 'a creative nation is a more productive nation and teaching Arts is vital to inspiring creativity in young people. Research shows an arts-rich education prepares children for better academic achievement and creative flexible thinking'.

Every student benefits from arts education under new National Curriculum, Monday 9 July 2012, joint media release from The Hon Peter Garrett MP and The Hon Simon Crean MP.

This Arts-POP gathers the most recent research on the impact of the arts and organises it under five key themes.