Governor Proclaims Arts in Education Week 2021

WHEREAS, arts education, including dance, media arts, music, theatre arts, and visual arts, is an essential element of a complete and well-rounded education for all students; and

WHEREAS, arts education enables students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline and collaboration, alternative ways to communicate and express feelings and ideas, and cross-cultural understanding, which support personalized pathways to academic success across the curriculum; and

WHEREAS arts education contributes to increased attendance and graduation rates; elevates academic achievement; and prepares students for college, career, and citizenship readiness; and

WHEREAS, arts education contributes to personal growth outside of the classroom including increasing a student’s likelihood to participate in civic life, volunteerism, altruism, and community engagement; and

WHEREAS, to succeed in today’s economy, students must masterfully develop traits that business leaders demand in a twenty-first-century workforce such as communicating through words, images, sounds and movement; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina supports statewide partnerships and cross-sector collaboration to promote and advance comprehensive arts education for North Carolina school children, including arts education, arts integration, and arts exposure; and

WHEREAS, the arts are an integral part of life in our state and are essential to a complete education, which contributes to the vibrancy and vitality of communities and the nation; and

WHEREAS, our public schools are charged with the education and development of well-rounded students:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim September 12-18, 2021, as “ARTS IN EDUCATION WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.