The arts create jobs, increase the local tax base, boost tourism, spur growth in related businesses (hotels, restaurants, printing, etc.) and improve the overall quality of life for our cities and towns. On a national level, nonprofit arts institutions and organizations generate an estimated $37 billion in economic activity and return $3.4 billion in federal income taxes to the U.S. Treasury each year. (American Arts Alliance )
A Texas school survey conducted in 1994 found that student involvement in extracurricular or co-curricular activities makes students resilient to current substance use among their peers, according to a recent statewide survey of Texas Schools. Secondary students who participated in band, orchestra or choir reported the lowest lifetime use of all substances.
Americans say that schools should offer instrumental music instruction as part of the regular curriculum. 88% of respondents indicated this in a 1997 "American Attitudes Towards Music" Gallup poll.
In the "American Attitudes Towards Music" Gallup poll, it was found that 113 million, or 53% of Americans over the age of 12 are current or former music makers.
The arts produce jobs, generating an estimate $37 billion with a return of $3.4 billion in federal income taxes. (American Arts Alliance)
Schools with music programs have significantly higher graduation rates (90.2% vs. 72.9%) (National Association of Music Educators)
In a 2005 Harris Poll 93% of people agreed that the arts are vital to a well-rounded education.
About 86% of artists vote in comparison with about 60% of all Americans. (DoSomething)
The not-for-profit arts and culture industry generates 5.7 million jobs every year. (DoSomething)
Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year. (DoSomething)
In a report released by the National Endowment of the Arts in 2008, the amount of people who attended at least one arts event was 34.6%, down about 5% from six years prior.
Employment in arts-related jobs are set to rise 16% through 2016, which is faster than the national average in most fields. (DoSomething)
Nine out of ten parents surveyed opposed cuts to the arts in schools. (DoSomething)
In a 2009 report done by New York City, only 33% of students take music classes. Out of 160 middle schools in Brooklyn, 26% of schools don't even offer music education. (DoSomething)
Students who participate in arts programs are at least three times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, elected to class office within their schools, participate in a math and science fair, win an award for school attendance and win an award for writing an essay or poem. (DoSomething)
Lewis Thomas, physician and biologist, found that music majors comprise the highest percentage of accepted medical students at 66%.
According to the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, music students received more academic honors and awards than non-music students. A higher percentage of music participants received As, As/Bs, and Bs than non-music participants. (National Center for Education Statistics)
The arts are one of the six subject areas in which the College Board recognizes as essential in order to thrive in college.
Students taking courses in music performance and music appreciation scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation. Music performance students scored 53 points higher on the verbal and 39 points higher on the math. Music appreciation students scored 61 points higher on the verbal and 42 points higher on the math. (Princeton)
The U.S. Department of Education recommends the arts to college-bound middle and junior high school students asserting, "Many colleges view participation in the arts and music as valuable experience that broadens students’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them.” In addition, it plays a part in developing "children’s intellectual development.” The U.S. DOE also suggests one year of Visual and Performing Arts for college-bound high school students.
Scientists have also discovered that learning to read music or play a musical instrument develops higher thinking skills. The child who is skilled at music excels at problem-solving, evaluation, and analysis. Music reading uses the same portion of the brain that’s used in mathematical thinking. That’s why so many adept musicians are also quite good in math. (Guth)
Studies of K4 and K5 children: the more music skills, the greater their… reading development. (Anvari, Trainor, Woodside, & Levy, 2002)
Studies show that students of the arts in all disciplines outperformed their non-arts peers on the SAT by 91 points in 2009. (DoSomething)
Third grade art students who participated in the Guggenheim Learning
Through Art Program performed better in six categories of literacy and
critical thinking skills - including thorough description, hypothesizing
and reasoning - than did students who were not in the program.
(DoSomething)
The College Entrance Examination Board found that
students with coursework/experience in music performance and music
appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance
scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math,
and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and
44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts
participation.