Six reasons the arts are important for young people

1. The arts offer new ways of thinking. Music can illuminate math problems. Mime tells a story without words. Cartooning uses images and few words to bring a tale to life.

2. The arts provide real-world skills. Live performance skills are a necessity for lawyers, salespeople, teachers and business owners to name a few.

3. The arts promote creative and critical thinking necessary for navigating the ever-shifting terrain of the new economy.

4. The arts offer multiple avenues for self-expression. Hip-hop, cartooning and theatre are great vehicles for children to share their stories.

5. The arts offer a bridge across language, personal and cultural differences. Children work, learn and share together to create theatre, music and dance pieces.

6. The arts are a safe space for experimentation, daydreaming, freedom, joy and wonder.