It’s Essential.
Every day in the art room, students are building the skills employers say they can’t find enough of. Not someday. Right now. The evidence is clear, and it’s been growing for years.
Dr. Matt Borek of the Center for the Advancement of Art Education and Trina Martin of Parents for Arts Education talk about why the global focus on the future of work is a significant opportunity for art education.
The Center for the Advancement of Art Education translates complex academic research into findings art educators, administrators, and advocates can actually use.
When students use art to explore and express their thinking, they develop the ability to share complex ideas, see multiple perspectives, and go beyond what words alone can say.
Hetland, L., Winner, E., Veenema, S., & Sheridan, K. M. (2013). Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education (2nd ed.). Teachers College Press.
Farrington, et al. (2019). Arts Education and Social-Emotional Learning Outcomes Among K–12 Students: Developing a Theory of Action. University of Chicago Consortium on School Research & Ingenuity.
When students use art to explore and express their thinking, they develop the ability to share complex ideas, see multiple perspectives, and go beyond what words alone can say.
Moga, E., Burger, K., & Hetland, L., & Winner, E. (2000). Does studying the arts engender creative thinking? Evidence for near but not far transfer. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 34(3/4), 91-104. https://doi.org/10.2307/3333639
Ryan, M. (2014). Reflexivity and aesthetic inquiry: Building dialogues between the arts and literacy. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 13(2), 5–18.
Farrington, C. A., et al. (2019). Arts Education and Social-Emotional Learning Outcomes Among K–12 Students: Developing a Theory of Action. University of Chicago Consortium on School Research & Ingenuity.
Students exposed to visual art show significantly stronger critical-thinking skills than their peers with limited exposure to the arts.
Bowen, D. H., Greene, J. P., & Kisida, B. (2014). Learning to think critically: A visual art experiment. Educational Researcher, 43(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X13512675
Fine arts education is significantly associated with enhanced resilience, creativity, and self-efficacy among students.
Dong, Z., & Zhang, Y. (2024). Unveiling the potential of fine arts education in enhancing resilience among Chinese gifted students. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1402725. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1402725
Kaimal, G., Ray, K., & Muniz, J. (2016). Reduction of cortisol levels and participants’ responses following art making. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 33(2), 74–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832
Arts-based activities foster collaboration and strengthen social relationships in the classroom, helping students develop an appreciation for diverse perspectives.
Lauss, J., & Helm, C. (2025). The Role of the Arts in the Classroom: Does Integration of the Arts Promote Social Relationships in the Classroom? Education Sciences
The art room is where there is no single right answer. You think through problems without a formula, sit with the unknown, and make decisions.
That’s what employers are looking for.
The Center for the Advancement of Art Education conducts original research and translates complex findings into insights that teachers, administrators, and advocates can actually use.
