The arts are the highest expression of every culture. Through literature, visual art, music, dance, and drama, they teach much about every historical period. The arts are languages that all people speak. They cut through individual differences in culture, educational background, and ability. The arts have the ability to bring every subject to life and turn abstractions into concrete reality. Learning through the arts often results in greater academic achievement and can boost standardized test scores.
Because of visual art's innate qualities, it has the power to reach all types of learners and intelligences. It not only promotes creativity but activates higher order thinking and problem solving. Students do not simply learn to draw or paint, but they also develop fine motor skills and their ideas of expression. Art stimulates the imagination, fosters cognitive and aesthetic development, and heightens sensitivity to diversity. Participation in art is a process and an experience. With art, students will receive a well rounded education.
If you would like to know more about art and its impact on education, here are a few links
(this is just a tip of the iceburg):
Learning in a Visual Age: The Importance of Visual Arts Education
Stimulating the Brain and Senses Through Art
Study: Arts education had academic effects
