Arts in Schools
Bringing the Arts to Our Schools
Arts in Schools provides participatory arts enrichment to under-served children across Oklahoma City through in-school and after-school programs. Professional teaching artists in diverse specialties are matched with a site, becoming the “artist in residence” of that site. We believe Oklahoma should strive to be a state where each child participates in high-quality arts learning experiences in school and the community. For a child’s education to be complete, it must include the arts. Arts education, identified as music, dance, visual arts, drama and media arts, prepares students for school, work and life. Students from all backgrounds benefit from arts education.
The Real Benefits
Research repeatedly demonstrates that participation in the arts boosts learning and achievement for children, including benefits like:
Improvement in student achievement
Increased attendance
Lower misconduct
Increased parental involvement
Closing the opportunity gap
Improved graduation rates
Evidence-Based
Rigorous research indicates that elementary students benefit most clearly from arts education in terms of key subjects, learning and innovation, life and career skills and improved academic outcomes.
Arts in Schools allows students to express themselves creatively which, in turn, enriches their lives through self-expression, emotional development and confidence building. A recent study from the Brooking Institution demonstrates that children with more access to arts education have fewer disciplinary infractions and better writing scores. It also shows that students with more access to arts education are more inclined to empathy and compassion toward others, have higher engagement and enjoyment in schoolwork, and are more interested in other school programs. Arts in Schools also gives students the pride and experience of preparing their artwork for a professional exhibition by showcasing their work at a cumulative event every semester.
On average, over 4,000 students across 16 different sites engage in a variety of arts disciplines such as visual arts, dance, music, and theatre annually through our Arts in Schools initiative. The educational curriculum is based on the nationally recognized methodologies of the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality. The Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, “empowers education and human service leaders to adapt, implement, and scale best-in-class, research validated quality improvement systems to advance child and youth development.”
Arts in Schools Visual Arts Lessons
Combining instructional video with updated lesson plans and supplemental resources for the remote classroom, students of all ages have access to professional arts education lessons at no cost, supporting our goal to continue providing access to arts for all. Lesson videos, plans, and additional links are updated each week. Previous videos and lesson plans are available anytime on the Arts Council OKC YouTube channel
