Importance of Fine Arts Programs

In recent years, subjects like math and science have been pushed as being most important in school and society. This trend is increasingly reflected in the decisions of college students choosing their majors, but also in the decision making process of elementary and middle school students. More than 80% of US school districts have seen their funding slashed since 2008, and fine arts disciplines such as music, art, and foreign language are almost always the first programs to go. 

If this doesn’t already concern you, it should. Groundbreaking work of cognitive neuroscientists reveals that what we think of as extra subjects are actually essential for strengthening our minds. Studies show that learning Mandarin or studying music as a child can do more for our adult brains and long-term economic prospects than studying biology. For example, the earlier a child starts instrumental training, the stronger the connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Research proves that these changes last into adulthood and affect the ability to listen and communicate as an adult. 

Nina Krauss, a cognitive neuroscientist at Northwestern University, released a study that adults who took music lessons at a young age can process the sounds of speech faster. This held true even if they hadn’t picked up an instrument in 40 years. These traits found in musicians are also common among world-class athletes and top-level managers. Is it a coincidence that people like Condoleezza Rice (piano), Alan Greenspan (jazz clarinet), Paul Allen (guitar), and James Wolfensohn (cello) all studied music for years as children? 

The same is true for foreign language, often one of the first programs to be eliminated in financially strapped schools. The cortex, the part of the brain that influences thought and consciousness, undergoes the greatest changes when a second language is learned during childhood. A new study by the The Neuro at McGill University and Oxford University has shown that memory is also impacted by learning a second language. 

Overall, concentration, strong recall skills, and evolved communication skills are just a few of the benefits research proves the fine arts have on a developing mind. Shortsightedness from parents who encourage their children to focus on a more “employable” major has as much of a negative effect as cutting school funding. Both could have catastrophic long-term implications. If we truly care about the future of our children and our country, we should think twice before cutting programs and lowering potential. 

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services