Photo by KUOW/Marcie Sillman
Equitable access to arts learning is essential for all students. The Creative Advantage, a citywide initiative to establish equitable access to arts education for every student Seattle Public Schools, works to systemically address inequities in access to art education and provide a comprehensive, high-quality arts education for all students, across the city, especially those who have been historically underserved.
Comprehensive arts education cultivates:
- 21st Century skills for students
- Communication
- Creative and critical thinking
- Collaboration
- Growth mindset
Through arts learning, young people experience the transformative power of creativity and gain a deepened belief in their own capacity to learn, take risks, persist, and achieve. The Creative Advantage is more than just a strategy for arts equity. Rather, it is step towards true educational justice.
Through a collective partnership between Seattle Public Schools, Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture, The Seattle Foundation, Seattle Art Museum, Arts Corps, ArtsEd Washington, and up to 100 community-based arts organizations, The Creative Advantage has enhanced arts access through increased certified arts staff, culturally responsive teaching practices, arts partnerships, professional development opportunities for the community, and connected students with career opportunities in creative industries.
Since 2013, the number of elementary schools with regular visual art and music classes has more than doubled and thousands of students are receiving arts instruction from Seattle’s diverse corps of professional teaching artists and cultural organizations on The Creative Advantage Partner Roster.
Check out this recent media highlight from KUOW, featuring The Creative Advantage in action at Concord International Elementary School: How the arts can be Seattle schools’ stealth weapons in the fight for racial equity.
