STUDY FINDS AMERICANS SUPPORT
ARTS IN EDUCATION
A recent study conducted by Americans for
the Arts shows that an overwhelming majority of American adults believe
that the arts are an essential component of education. The study was
conducted to establish a benchmark for the National Arts Education Public
Awareness Campaign, a multi-year public
service advertising effort to raise public awareness and positively change
the public's attitudes and actions about the value of the arts in child
development.
Survey results indicate support for and understanding of
the value of the arts in a child's learning:
=
91 percent of survey respondents agree that the arts are
vital to providing a well-rounded education for children.
=
95 percent believe that the arts enhance learning;
instill creativity, self-expression,
motivation and independence; and help children learn how to apply their
skills.
= 89
percent believe that schools should find the money to ensure inclusion in
the curriculum.
The public awareness campaign, a partnership between Americans for the
Arts and the Advertising Council, will
offer parents a wealth of practical information on how to
involve the arts in their children's lives. For more information call
212/223-2787.
This newsletter aims to keep Ohio's decision makers informed about the work of the state's arts agency. We'd like this to be a two-way street. If you have comments about the OAC's involvement in your district or area of expertise please send them to Katie Popoff at the address below. Thanks for reading.
The Ohio Arts Council, a state
agency established in 1965, builds
the state through the arts -
economically and culturally -
preserving the past, enhancing the
present and enriching the future for
all Ohioans. The Council believes
the arts should be shared by the
people of Ohio. The arts arise from
public, individual and organizational
efforts. The OAC supports those
efforts.
Ohio Arts Council
727 E. Main Street
Columbus, OH 43205-1796
614/ 466-2613
Ohio ranks second in the
nation for attendance at festivals, according to the National Endowment
for the Arts' Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.
-OHIO ARTS COUNCIL'S STATE OF THE ARTS
REPORT
HARVARD HONORS FITTON CENTER'S SPECTRA+ PROGRAM
Information on the Fitton Center for
Creative Arts' SPECTRA+ program is included in a new publication from
Harvard University. Arts Survive: A Study of Sustainability in Arts
Education Partnerships is a publication of The Arts Survive Research
Study, a research development initiative conducted by Project Zero at the
Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Fitton Center program was one of
only 13 arts programs across the nation chosen for the study.
SPECTRA+ is the Fitton Center's arts in education
program, which is in place in several Hamilton elementary schools as well
as sites across the country. The program has shown that when the arts are
a basic part of daily curriculum, they not only improve creative thinking
skills, but also raise standardized test scores in reading and
mathematics, and improve attendance. For more information call
513/863-8873.
