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.
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Writer
Donna Collins
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Editor
Katie Freeman
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Producer
Kenny Neal
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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
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Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;
Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; Wells Fargo; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..
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