Key benefits of the Arts include:

• boosting both literacy and math performance;

• developing students’ creativity, problem-solving, and communication/collaboration skills (key 21st century learning competencies);

• fostering community connection and civic engagement; and

• strengthening students’ perseverance through adversity.

There is also a growing body of research on the unique benefits the arts can provide to people healing from trauma, a major concern for many of the youth our program serves. Researchers are learning more all the time about the neurobiological processes behind the arts’ healing effects. It is not hard to see how, taken together, these benefits have the potential to reduce the likelihood of a young person turning to drugs and alcohol for coping or recreation.