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What does art education do for the individual and for
society? Why do we teach art? How does art contribute
to education at all levels? There are many good answers
to these questions, but three stand out as crucial in
today’s social and economic climate. We believe
that art—and therefore art education—means
three things that everyone wants and needs.
Beyond the qualities of creativity, self-expression,
and communication, art is a type of work. This is what
art has been from the beginning. This is what art is
from childhood to old age. Through art, our students
learn the meaning of joy of work—work done to
the best of one’s ability, for its own sake, for
the satisfaction of a job well done. There is a desperate
need in our society for a revival of the idea of good
work: work for personal fulfillment; work for social
recognition; work for economic development. Work is
one of the noblest expressions of the human spirit,
and art is the visible evidence of work carried to the
highest possible level. Today we hear much about productivity
and workmanship. Both of these ideals are strengthened
each time we commit ourselves to the endeavor of art.
We are dedicated to the idea that art is the best way
for every young person to learn the value of work.
Art is a language of visual images that everyone must
learn to read. In art classes, we make visual images,
and we study images. Increasingly, these images affect
our needs, our daily behavior, our hopes, our opinions,
and our ultimate ideals. That is why the individual
who cannot understand or read images is incompletely
educated. Complete literacy includes the ability to
understand, respond to, and talk about visual images.
Therefore, to carry out its total mission, art education
stimulates language—spoken and written—about
visual images. As art teachers we work continuously
on the development of critical skills. This is our way
of encouraging linguistic skills. By teaching pupils
to describe, analyze, and interpret visual images, we
enhance their powers of verbal expression. That is no
educational frill.
You cannot touch art without touching values: values
about home and family, work and play, the individual
and society, nature and the environment, war and peace,
beauty and ugliness, violence and love. The great art
of the past and the present deals with these durable
human concerns. As art teachers we do not indoctrinate.
But when we study the art of many lands and peoples,
we expose our students to the expression of a wide range
of human values and concerns. We sensitize students
to the fact that values shape all human efforts, and
that visual images can affect their personal value choices.
All of them should be given the opportunity to see how
art can express the highest aspirations of the human
spirit. From that foundation we believe they will be
in a better position to choose what is right and good.
We in the National Art Education Association are committed
to this three-part statement about the importance of
art instruction for America’s children. Our specific
recommendations for school art programs are set forth
in Purposes, Principles, and Standards for School Art
Programs and in Design Standards for School Art Facilities.
In addition, our various publications describe in detail
the views of leading art educators about the issues
confronting the art teaching profession.
If you are interested in further information about
these publications or about membership in the NAEA,
subscriptions, orders, or information about art education,
contact:
The National Art Education Association
1916 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1590
(703) 860-8000
Fax (703)860-2960
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