What kind of subjects are learned at school? There are many subjects in the curriculum, such as science and math. However, one subject that is overlooked is art. Although it is seen as a secondary subject that is not required, it is very important in education, as it can improve a student's intelligence, their well being, and boosts creativity. Art is very important in our education, and should be provided in our schools.

According to many studies, art should be provided in our education because it improves the student's intelligence. As reported by the RAND Corporation (a research organization) in their book A Portrait of the Visual Arts, it said that art "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing..." Having an open mind and a new perspective is crucial for a student as it can help them understand things inside and outside of their studies. Tom Horne -Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction- also mentions that "There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests." So art can also help students on academic tests.

Another reason art should be provided in our education is for the students themselves. It helps support their well being and mental health. Along with improving the student's cognitive functions, there are also studies that say that studies in the arts can improve their character and well being. The University of Illinois found that participating in creative activities brings "higher levels of civic engagement and social tolerance." In addition to that statement, the University of Washington found it can relieve stress and boost self esteem.

But unlike other subjects -such as science- art does not give practical impact to a student's work life. According to Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, he writes in a letter that "Art is useless...It is not meant to instruct or influence action in any way." When students apply for jobs, they often do not look to their artistic abilities to help them out in their daily life. From another perspective, art can also be seen as something that is not necessary in our lives, and that core curriculum subjects that are already found in education are more beneficial to the student.

However, art gives something to the student that no other subject can provide; creativity. It had been mentioned earlier that having diverse perspectives is beneficial for students. Part of knowing these diverse perspectives is creativity. Creativity is very important in the 21st century market -with the addition of technology, companies need to find innovative ways to promote their product or sell it. The Kappan magazine states that teachers should "teach creative process, how to come up with ideas, how to find inspiration, ..." and "how to realize their ideas, how to get them executed through a supply chain, how to present and market and share them." Teaching these kinds of things to students will boost their creativity in line with providing art in education.

So to sum it up, art should be provided in education because they improve the student's intelligence and their mental health. And although at first it seems that art does not provide benefits for when the students go into the real world, it provides a boost in creativity. Art gives a lot of benefits for students, and should be provided by the education system. 

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Sources:

McCarthy, Kevin F., Ondaatjie, Elizabeth H., Brooks, Arthur., Szanto, Andras. (2005).  A Portrait of the Visual Arts. RAND Corporation.
https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG290.html

Smith, Fran. (2009). "Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who's Doing It Best." George Lucas Education Foundation: Edutopia. 
https://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

"The Importance of Art Education in the Classroom." (2021). University of Florida: Online Master of Arts in Art Education.
https://arteducationmasters.arts.ufl.edu/articles/importance-of-art-education/

Loeuy, Katauna J. (2022). "Art for Self Care and Mental Health." University of Washington.
https://thewholeu.uw.edu/2022/04/11/art-for-self-care-and-mental-health/

Mastandrea, Stefano., Fagioli, Sabrina., Biasi, Valeria. (2019). "Art and Psychology Well Being: Linking the Brain to the Aesthetic Emotion." Frontiers in Psychology.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00739/full

Gregory, Danny. (2017). "Let's Get Rid of Art Education in Schools." KAPPAN ONLINE. 
https://kappanonline.org/gregory-lets-get-rid-art-education-schools/

Vogel, Carol. (2008). "The Letters of Oscar Wilde." The New York Times. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/arts/design/05voge.html#:~:text=Wilde%2C%20not%20directly%20answering%20Clegg's,of%20its%20pleasure%20is%20sterility.%E2%80%9D