PDF
523KB

Impact and Value – Research facts sheet:
The arts develop 21st century skills

The arts, in and of themselves, are a critical, quality pedagogy for the 21st century.

AUS, 2010:

Current approaches to education cannot equip our students for the flexibility and creativity needed for 21st century living [whereas] the intrinsic nature of each art form, as well as commonalities across the disciplines, enable transformative learning. (Ewing, R. (2010) The Arts and Australian Education: Realising Potential, ACER Press; Camberwell, Victoria)

CAN, 2007-9:

Arts integration practices create engaging, rigorous, and creative learning environments. These are the foundation of enacting creativity and innovation in class for 21st century learning. (ArtsSmarts (2009) Impact on Student Engagement: First Research Report, 2007–2009, Canada)

Students who participate in arts activities are more likely to graduate and to get a degree.

USA 1999:

Students with high involvement in the arts, including minority and low-income students, performed better in school and stayed in school longer than students with low involvement, the advantage increasing over the school years. (Fiske, E. (Ed.) (1999) Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning, Washington, DC: The Arts Education Partnership and the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities)

USA, 2009:

At age 26 students from low socio-economic backgrounds with high levels of arts involvement were three times as likely to have BA degrees. They were more than twice as likely to have associate degrees, nearly three times as likely to have master’s or higher degrees. (Catterall, J. (2009) Doing well and doing good by doing art: The Long Term Effects of Sustained Involvement in the Visual and Performing Arts During High School. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Imagination Group)

The employability of students who study arts subjects is higher and they are more likely to stay in employment.

UK, 2006:

Young people who took two or more arts subjects at standard grade tend to have a higher rate of employment than those who took only one arts subject. (Cultural Learning Alliance, (2011) Key Research Findings: The Case for Cultural Learning. UK)

Students who engage in the arts are twice as likely to volunteer and 20% more likely to vote.

USA, 2009:

Amongst 12,000 students from low socio-economic backgrounds at the age of 26, 24.3% of those who had been engaged in the arts at school were volunteering compared to 10.8% of non art students. High-arts students are 15% more likely to register to vote and were more than 30% more likely to have voted in the previous presidential election. (Catterall, J. (2009) Doing well and doing good by doing art: The Long Term Effects of Sustained Involvement in the Visual and Performing Arts During High School. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Imagination Group)

EU 2011:

Students become much more active citizens: they show more interest in voting or participating in public matters. (Drama Improves Lisbon Key Competences in Education (DICE Consortium (2011) Drama Improves Lisbon Key Competences in Education. EU)

Arts education develops intercultural/ social competences and civic competence.

EU 2011:

Students who regularly participate in educational theatre and drama activities are more empathetic: they show concern for others and they are more able to change their perspective. They are significantly more tolerant towards both minorities and foreigners. Key competencies developed through arts education are 'life-long learning skills necessary for the personal development of young people, their future employment and active European citizenship'. (DICE Consortium (2011) Drama Improves Lisbon Key Competences in Education. EU)