Who makes the case for more arts?
Droe, K.L. (2017). Who makes the case for more arts? We’re on the Right Track. Iowa Music Educator, Spring/Summer, 8.
In Who makes the case for more arts?, Kevin Droe examines a central paradox in arts education: despite widespread agreement that the arts are valuable, they occupy only a small fraction of students’ educational experience. Drawing on national data and local examples, the article highlights how music and other arts often account for less than 3–5% of instructional time, even when required. It further explores how arts participation declines after elementary school, effectively filtering out students who do not identify as “musical.” Rather than framing advocacy as simply promoting existing programs, Droe argues that the challenge lies in redefining what arts education is. He calls for a model that balances tradition with contemporary relevance, positioning the arts not only as essential subjects but as integral tools for whole-child learning across disciplines.
