The Vitality of Performing Arts in Education Research Assignment

Cedar Moore
English 223
Rebecca Barclay
11/30/17
The Vitality of Performing Arts in Education
Although the Arts have come under attack multiple times in the past, the problem regarding the Arts is now a question of vitality in a school education. The Arts have always been given the short stick whenever it comes to financial decisions even on a national level, causing them to be questioned as to whether they matter or if they are just mere electives that cost a pretty penny to keep around. The Performing Arts are vital in a school education as they are known to lead to advanced memory and enhanced public speaking skills, which in return could lead to career advancements and increased social skills (Crockett). If the issue is not addressed then it could lead to the Performing Arts being defunded, forgotten, and taken out of our schools. To combat this, we need to voice our support and allow and push our kids to take these classes to give them that extra boost in their education. From a parental view, don’t we all want our kids to get the best out of everything? Arts allow students to grow and to express themselves in ways that they would not usually be allowed to in other classes. Arts make us feel connected to one another and less isolated. Through arts, individuals share an emotion, and that sharing connects them with each other, and realizes they all feel the same emotions. Individuals find their identity and make it easier and more pleasurable to live.
The Skills Developed Through the Visual and Performing Arts
The visual on and performing Arts are more than role-playing or dance and song. They can impart versatile and transferable life skills that matter resulting in a well-rounded, holistic educational appearance for the students taking such subjects (Crockett). The skills include but are not limited to problem-solving, critical thinking, as well as, good listening. The Performing Arts focus not only on the physical but also on the mental and emotional aspects of a performer which can lead to personal development. The Arts, in addition, stress on the importance of human connection. This paper will talk about the skills that can be developed by the performing arts, the social and economic impact of the visual and performing arts, the funding of arts, career prospects for performers, the National Arts Index and how these can be used to guarantee the vitality of arts programs.
Participants of these arts programs have more ability to creatively express themselves. By pursuing art, any performer is encouraged to express themselves in other aspects of their lives using the creative skills they learn during performances including in professional and personal relationships and settings (Crockett). Since the arts require self-expression that is unique and personal to every performer, they get the opportunity to explore their expressive abilities. Most performers who are unable to express themselves in normal conditions have found an outlet through such means as dance, or music.
The performing arts have also been long known to boost confidence in those who participate in its various forms. The arts provide a sense of accomplishment and boost the self-esteem of the performers. Flawlessly performing that dance routine or play before your peers, tutors, and family and perhaps getting a round of applause or standing ovation can work miracles on the confidence of a performer. This can increase the dopamine levels being transmitted in the brain which causes new neurons to be formed hence making the brain more open to learning. This, therefore, can boost focus, concentration and drive and enable a performer or student to plan ahead and resist impulses so that they can achieve their goals.
Each and every single instance a student learns something new; the cells of the brain form connections. The brain’s ability to restructure its connections when it learns something new is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity. Intelligence depends more on connections in the brain than on the brain size itself. Therefore, every time a student learns a new routine or topic for public speaking, they are continuously stretching the brains plasticity and capability. This is why artists have recall things better and are more observant.
Art makes individuals aware of their existence (Stankiewicz 33). Students learn how to solve problems automatically through the process of creative thinking. Creativity as a problem-solving approach and it can be taught or mastered like any other resulting in unique individuals with problem-solving skills that can be applied in artistic and abstract situations as well as in technical and linear concepts.
The basic nature or the visual and performing arts is rooted deeply in collaboration. The arts are all about forming networks with people with similar likes as well as in building trust with the people we are working with. Working with people will definitely bring up conflicts and disagreements. Through such experiences, one can learn to deal with such challenges proactively and in a constructive way. The skill of collaboration can be used to enhance the results of a performer by using the proficiency and opinion from their colleagues to all succeed. Such a skill is useful in real life with the example of Henry Ford. He surrounded himself with his peers who were more abled than him and helped him to make an incredible discovery. David Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said, “The world is a complicated place, and there’s a lot of division between people. The performing arts tend to unify people in a way nothing else does” (The Kennedy Center).
The Funding for the Arts Education
The Federal funding for the arts and humanities is about two hundred and fifty million dollars a year while that National Science Foundation fund is around five billion dollars. Even with such a huge difference in funding, the arts programs in schools are often still in danger of being cut. It is common nowadays for school districts to face budget cuts which almost always affect the art programs in schools. For instance, the principal at Fike High School in Wilson, Steve Ellis reported that their elective courses offered in conjunction with the community college as well as piano and jazz band classes had to face the cut (Dayton). In addition, the Chicago Public Schools, a few years ago, almost paralyzed the arts programs when over 1000 teachers were laid off when over 50 schools were closed (Hambek).
With this minimal funding from public sources, schools are depending on funding from the private sector and for arts tutors to aid students taking arts programs to express themselves creatively. Non-profit bodies have also been aiding in providing funds for the arts and also outreach to schools through alliances between schools and ensembles such as OrchKids supported by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra . Others rely on both public and private funding while others have made art subjects a part of the main curriculum hence rendering them more immune to axing in budgets. In the case of North Dakota, the tune is different as the arts are not facing budget cuts. A look at Minot shows that people are always almost engaging in music, theater, or some other form of art, this only goes to show how the system by which the arts are funded is increasingly becoming unequal.
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