{Video} Art Road Nonprofit

Our current economic situation isn’t only affecting the job market. Schools across the country are having to cut costs where they can.
When the economy is down, the arts is one of the first areas to be restricted in school. Unfortunately for some schools, this means putting the kibosh on art programs.

Many who see this as a viable option pose the question “What does art have to do with children’s development?” Here are two reasons (of many) why art is a major factor in your child’s development:

    • Communication

Have you ever found a foreign word to perfectly describe how you’re feeling? For example, do you know that feeling of anticipating someone’s arrival so much that you continually keep going outside to look for them? While the English language may not contain an exact word, the Inuits refer to this phenomenon as ‘Iktsuarpok’.

Imagine being a child and trying to convey your thoughts and feelings without knowing the exact word exists you’re looking for. Art is the answer. Children can draw out a special memory or easily give you a heads up about how they’re feeling using the power of art.

    • Self-Expression

Children learn to express themselves through different mediums of art. When they’re 3, it might be by making play-doh dogs. At 7, it could be painting pictures of flowers. And at 12, it might be drawing their own cartoon characters. Creating art is all about finding a way to vent your emotions or taking what’s in your mind and bringing it to life to share with others.

Luckily, certain groups are taking a stand for our youth. Art Road Nonprofit is a nonprofit organization in Michigan working hard to put art back into schools year round. Check out the video below to learn more about Art Road Nonprofit’s story. Leave a comment below telling us what you think!