- Students who participate in arts programs are at least three times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, elected to class office within their schools, participate in a math and science fair, win an award for school attendance and win an award for writing an essay or poem.
- Third grade art students who participated in the Guggenheim Learning Through Art Program performed better in six categories of literacy and critical thinking skills – including thorough description, hypothesizing and reasoning – than did students who were not in the program.
- Studies show that students of the arts in all disciplines outperformed their non-arts peers on the SAT in 2007.
- Numerous studies affirm that students who receive music education in school improve their SAT and ACT scores in math, foreign language and creative writing.
- In California, 500,000 fewer school children are taking music education now than five years ago.
- Nine out of 10 parents surveyed opposed cuts to the arts in our schools, yet many policy makers seem tone-deaf to this critical part of educating our children.
- Experts estimate that out of a class of 30 students, up to ten will someday be employed in an arts-related occupation.
- American consumers spent $12.1 billion ($42 per person) on admissions to performing arts events in 2002.
- Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year.
- The not-for-profit arts and culture industry generates 5.7 million jobs every year.
- About 86% of artists vote in comparison with about 60% of all Americans.
Sources:
The Arts and Economic Prosperity
The Performing Arts in the GDP
All the Arts for All the Kids: What the Arts Do
American Association of Museums FAQ
Education Encyclopedia – StateUniversity.com: Music Education