Art Makes You Smart

By Sarah Mihich, Marketing Intern

There is research out there that proves the educational benefits of the arts; increases test scores, generate social responsibility and turns around failing schools. Simply, it is hard to collect quantitative data on the arts to prove these benefits. Luckily, a team of researchers were able to get some data from the new Crystal Bridges Museums of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

A team from University of Arkansas created a “large-scale, random-assignment study of school tours to the museum; we were able to determine that strong causal relationships do in fact exist between arts education and a range of desirable outcomes.” The study, which you can read more about here, concluded that when students, visiting art museums, are exposed to a diversity of ideas which challenge them with unique perspectives on the human condition. This study shows that a student needs to be exposed to the arts through programs at schools or through visiting museums and galleries.