THE IMPORTANCE OF ART IN EDUCATION
By Sebastian Prout
The inclusion and funding of art education programs in the New York metropolitan area often spark conversation and debate. But it is hard for anyone to deny that art programs can help students in all areas of the classroom. The Brookings Institution highlights the benefits when it comes to concentrating:
“We find that a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Relative to students assigned to the control group, treatment school students experienced a 3.6 percentage point reduction in disciplinary infractions, an improvement of 13 percent of a standard deviation in standardized writing scores, and an increase of 8 percent of a standard deviation in their compassion for others.”
When it comes to the importance of including digital art-based programs at the collegiate level, Five Towns College Professor Robert Fields, who teaches courses such as History of Digital Art, discussed the importance of offering a variety of art concepts, “Other educational programs dive right into digital media and cover those basic principles of composition and design concurrently. In either case, the underlying fundamental concepts, which constitute effective design principles, need to be clearly presented so that students can understand and apply those standards in their work – whether it is using traditional media or digital.” This practice can also allow students who may not be on a specific art track at the college to try a class with some art to help them grow in their desired field.
Funding Art Education
In December 2022, New York City announced that the city would receive $58 million in grants from the Cultural Development Fund to support artistic development in underserved communities, helping thousands of students. “The minimum grant awarded by New York increased from $5,000 to $10,000, allowing about three-fourths of organizations to receive more funding than they previously did. And 125 of the grant recipients received funds from the program for the first time in at least two years,” stated New York City Lens.
While this grant is enormous and has an impact, other areas of art funding have been cut. In March 2023, The New York City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations announced budget plans regarding a decrease in art funding.
According to the Preliminary Report for the Department of Cultural Affairs, “there will be an $84.5 million, or 36.8 percent, decrease from last year. This decrease is a result of a reduction of $53.9 million in funding for Cultural Programs, $1.3 million in funding for the Office of the Commissioner, and $29.4 million for the Cultural Institutions.” The city making this cutback would hurt many young people looking for programs that would benefit them in artistic fields.
Long Island Media Arts Show
Educators and arts organizations must also promote the arts. In May 2023, Five Towns College hosted The Long Island Media Art Show, where more than 350 Long Island High School students displayed different types of art for judging and critique. The conference also offered photography and filmmaking seminars with industry professionals and demonstrations in the audiovisual fields.
Events such as The Long Island Media Arts Show allow students to focus on creativity and help them become aware of different styles, tools, and programs if they want to pursue art in their lives.
LIMAS Event Chair, and Head of Five Towns Interactive Media Arts Division, Professor Sharon Ryba-Pertz, talked about the impact that the conference had on the students, “The opportunity for FTC students to attend a professional conference, essentially without leaving home, was profound. The impact is wide and vast and cannot be put into words. Attendees were able to have a unique experience that I hope inspires them both creatively and to become further involved.”
PICS: Long Island Media Arts Show
WATCH: Full Coverage of Long Island Media Arts Show
Support the Arts in Education
If you are looking for ways to support arts in education, check out these organizations:
