News

The US Department of Education has asked officials in Colorado to rework some parts of the state's Every Student Succeeds Act plan. So far, 16 states and Washington, D.C., have received feedback on their plans.

The public-school district in Nashville, Tenn., has launched a three-year middle-school science, technology, engineering, art and math initiative to bring a more interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to learning. Nearly all of the district's 450 middle-school teachers took part in STEAM workshops to prepare.

YoungArts is now accepting applications for its 2017 national arts competition, which offers students up to $10,000 in cash awards, mentorship and professional support, and opportunities to take master classes taught by accomplished artists. U.S. student artists, ages 15-18, working in a wide-range of disciplines – including dance, theatre, visual arts and writing, among others – are eligible to apply.

We’re used to the common narrative of the artist as someone so inspired that they simply can’t stomach a drab office job, preferring to ditch the cubicle for the white cube. And yet, research has found that employers almost universally report creativity is of increasing importance in the “traditional” workplace.

We’re all born with innate creativity. But what artists do, subconsciously or not, is to continue to develop that instinct. Today, creativity is an increasingly sought-after quality well beyond the arts. Not only are employers targeting candidates who can generate and execute original ideas, studies have shown that creativity can boost productivity, as well as physical and mental wellness. Now more than ever, creativity is recognized as an essential skill, which can be honed.

If art dealer Michael Findlay had his way, smartphones would be banned from museum exhibitions. So would audio guides, wall labels and maybe even docents. “It all just gets in the way of what you’re seeing and depletes the experience of looking at art,” he says.

In high schools of the performing and visual arts, race, sexual identity and ZIP code are beside the point. But not academics.

It’s no secret that embarking on a professional career in the arts requires a degree of boldness in the face of economic uncertainty. The prevailing stereotype of the “starving artist” indicates that people do so anyway – either willing to forego comfort for creativity’s sake, possessing alternative income (such as a day job or family help), and/or confident that their talent and drive will see them through. But how long do they stick with it before throwing in the towel – or professionally shifting gears?

As states continue to define and map their education goals in their individual ESSA plans, states allow for specific timeframes for stakeholder feedback on these plans, many of which have public comment periods open this summer. Be sure to check your state’s department of education website to find out where your state’s ESSA plan is in the process and take the opportunity to provide input.