Arts Education and the Business Community
Creating an artful alliance between parents and business
Do you think there is a relationship between business success and creativity?
If so, you’re in good company.
According to a survey of 1,500 chief executives conducted by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, CEOs list “creativity” as the most important leadership skill needed for successful ventures in the future. Business leaders understand the power of the innovative individual who is a creative thinker and collaborator.
But how do our children, the future business leaders of America, learn to be creative, collaborative, and innovative? The answer is in our local schools—where high-quality arts education programs exist—and creativity, innovation, and collaboration are encouraged and supported.
Sadly, however, arts education programs are underfunded (or undervalued), and students may have little chance of learning the skills that could ensure their future success. That’s where parents can play an important role. Parents, along with members of the business community, can and should form a powerful alliance to support building workforce skills, creativity, and innovation through high-quality, sequential arts education in schools.
If it’s time to create an alliance between your school and the business community, here are some important things to consider:
- Business leaders can be important advocates for the value of local, state, and national arts education because they know firsthand the value of creative and innovative thinking.
- Oftentimes, business leaders will locate their companies in cities and towns where the arts and culture are key components to a quality of life.
- Engaged business leaders share a concern with parents and community members—they are interested in dynamic schools, communities, and economies.
- When hiring people, business leaders tend to hire people who are creative and add dimension to the possibilities of what a company can become.
- Businesses need the competitive edge that creative people bring to the table.
Business leaders, parents, and educators can collaborate to keep arts education accessible to all students, helping ensure their future economic and personal success.
-
Writer
Donna Collins
-
Editor
Katie Freeman
-
Producer
Kenny Neal
-
Updated
January 15, 2020
Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning
Eric Friedman
Director, Digital Learning
Kenny Neal
Manager, Digital Education Resources
Tiffany A. Bryant
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement
JoDee Scissors
Content Specialist, Digital Learning
Connect with us!
Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Bank of America; Bender Foundation, Inc.; Capital One; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Trust; Carnegie Corporation of New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Estée Lauder; Exelon; Flocabulary; Harman Family Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; the Herb Alpert Foundation; the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Little Kids Rock; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation;
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Music Theatre International; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; the National Endowment for the Arts; Newman’s Own Foundation; Nordstrom; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives; Prince Charitable Trusts; Soundtrap; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; UnitedHealth Group; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Dennis & Phyllis Washington; and Wells Fargo. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts.
Social perspectives and language used to describe diverse cultures, identities, experiences, and historical context or significance may have changed since this resource was produced. Kennedy Center Education is committed to reviewing and updating our content to address these changes. If you have specific feedback, recommendations, or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].