Congressional Briefing: The Value of Equitable Arts Education

The arts should stand at the heart of a strong K-12 public education, but access to public arts education has been in steady decline and has become increasingly inequitable. Art for Life’s Sake, a new report of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Commission on the Arts, articulates the benefits of arts education, including support for social and emotional development and critical thinking skills, improvements in school engagement, and strengthened community and civic engagement. The report recommends policies for advancing arts education at the federal, state, and local levels.

The American Academy held a briefing on the report and discussion with Arts Commission cochairs, John Lithgow, Deborah Rutter, and Natasha Trethewey, members of Congress, and other experts on the value of arts education and ways to strengthen access to quality arts education for every American.