Arts on Tour School Shows
We here at Arts on Tour strongly believe in the importance of arts in education and in the lives
of our children and are excited to be able to bring these artists into our schools as well as
help schools address the Idaho State Humanities Curriculum. In addition to our Arts on Tour
public performances, we offer three FREE school outreach programs during each season taking the
form of master classes, workshops, or student performances. Since 1988, these outreach
programs have influenced the lives of over 37,000 local children!
For the 2008-2009 Arts on Tour season, we are offering
- A performance for fifth graders by the musicians in Bearfoot Bluegrass
- Download Study Guide Here
- A performance for high school students by the artists in the Hot 8 Brass Band
- Download Study Guide Here
A Few Facts About Arts in the Schools...
"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Pablo Picasso.
Those of us who love the arts know that standing before a Van Gough can make your soul sing...
that a heartbreakingly beautiful rendition of Leonard Cohen’s "Hallelujah" can bring tears to
your eyes... that watching two hours of Irish Step Dancing can keep you energized for weeks!
That said, we are also finding that, increasingly, controlled studies reveal a powerful,
positive relationship between study in the arts and other academic subjects, attitudes,
and behaviors.
Did you know
Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week
through at least one full year are:
- 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
- 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
- 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
- 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
- 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
Did you know
Young artists, as compared with their peers, are likely to:
- Attend music, art, and dance classes nearly three times as frequently
- Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently
- Read for pleasure nearly twice as often
- Perform community service more than four times as often
- (Living the Arts through Language + Learning: A Report on Community-based Youth
Organizations, Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University and Carnegie Foundation
For the Advancement of Teaching, Americans for the Arts Monograph, November 1998)
The facts are that arts education...
- makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to
help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
- (Involvement in the Arts and Success in Secondary School, James S. Catterall,
The UCLA Imagination Project, Graduate School of Education & Information
Studies, UCLA, Americans for the Arts Monograph, January 1998)
- has a measurable impact on youth at risk in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy
problems while also increasing overall academic performance among those youth engaged in
after school and summer arts programs targeted toward delinquency prevention.
- (YouthARTS Development Project, 1996, U.S. Department of Justice, National
Endowment for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts)
Businesses understand that arts education...
- builds a school climate of high expectation, discipline, and academic rigor that
attracts businesses relocating to your community.
- strengthens student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall
academic achievement and school success.
- helps students develop a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and
goal-setting—skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
- can help troubled youth, providing an alternative to destructive behavior and another
way for students to approach learning.
- provides another opportunity for parental, community, and business involvement with
schools, including arts and humanities organizations.
- helps all students develop more appreciation and understanding of the world around them.
- helps students develop a positive work ethic and pride in a job well done.
- (Business Circle for Arts Education in Oklahoma, "Arts at the Core of Learning 1999 Initiative")
For more information about Arts in Education, visit the Americans for the Arts Website at www.artsusa.org or the Idaho Commission on the Arts at http://www.arts.idaho.gov
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