Why the Arts Matter

Educational impact of the arts

The arts teach students to become critical thinkers in ways that impact all academic subjects. Recent data provided by the Florida Department of Education concluded that Kindergarten to 12th-grade students who frequently participated in arts curriculum performed better academically, regardless of family income, than students with little or no arts training.

In Broward County in 2007-08, data compiled by the Florida Department of Education showed that high-school seniors with 8 or more semesters of instruction in the arts scored higher than other students in three key measurable areas — SAT and FCAT scores, and GPA.

Young people who consistently participate in comprehensive, sequential, and rigorous arts programs are:

• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement;
• 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools;
• 4 times more likely to participate in a math or science fair;
• 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance; and
• 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem.

The arts have been designated a “core subject” by the U.S. Dept. of Education. However, it is considered an extracurricular activity in many schools because of an emphasis on standardized testing.

A 2007 report by the Center on Education Policy determined that the average number of minutes per week devoted to art and music in K-12 schools is the fewest of all core subject areas studied, with 97 minutes for the arts compared to 568 for reading. In Florida, schools are now mandated to provide 150 minutes of physical education per week, which cuts further into the time devoted to the arts.

At-risk youth participating in the arts increased ability to communicate effectively, improved ability to work on tasks from start to finish, improved attitudes towards school, and decreased frequency of delinquent behavior and court referrals.

For example, the Davenport School of the Arts in Polk County went from a D to an A school over a three-year period after increasing the number of hours of arts instruction for their students.

Florida currently ranks No. 49 in the U.S. in per capita state appropriations for arts and culture. The state invests only 14¢ per Floridian versus the national average of 96¢.

Economic impact of the arts

For every $1 that federal, state, and local governments invest in the arts, arts organizations create $8 in revenue for the public sector.

In January 2009, the Florida Chamber identified quality of life as a key component to Florida’s economic recovery. The Chamber specifically cited arts and culture as a way to attract business and improve quality of life for Floridians.

As of January 2009 according to Dun & Bradstreet, Florida was home to 48,585 arts-related businesses that employed 176,880 people. Florida’s cultural industry is part of a national industry with over $166 billion in economic impact: $63.1 billion spent directly by cultural organizations and $103.1 billion spent by attendees on event-related expenditures.

According to Florida Tax Watch Tourism Research Report, 74.9% of visitors to Florida participate in cultural activities. The report goes on to say we need to understand the factors that make Florida an attractive destination and retain and enhance those factors.

Source: Florida Division of Cultural Affairs

Funding Acknowledgements

The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported in part by its members, admissions, private entities, the City of Hollywood, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; and the Kresge Foundation. We welcome donations from all members of the community who wish to support our work.