Ever since the beginning of my freshman year, the little black box theater at the end of a long second-floor hallway known as Studio 200 has been my safe space. I know that without that space and without the theater department as whole, my high school experience would be vastly different. Every show I have been a part of here has taught me something new, whether it be about myself or about the beauty of people coming together to create something unique. The friendships I have made through this department will last me a lifetime, and many of the things I have learned from trial and error have shaped who I am.

 But while the arts provide a space of learning and respect for many like myself, these departments are seemingly overlooked by schools when it comes time to set the annual budget. In the 2023 fiscal year, Chicago Public Schools proposed a budget of $9.5 billion, of which less than $240 million went towards the arts, while $645 million went towards athletic departments. I believe that it is time that arts programs within schools are regarded by administrations to be equally beneficial as core classes or sports programs. According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 88% of the population recognizes art to be a vital part of the education system, and for good reason.

Arts in school can not only provide a space for students to express themselves, but can also lead to academic growth.  According to a study for the University of California Los Angeles in which 25,000 K-12 students were recorded, researchers found students with high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests than students with low arts involvement. Outside of general academic performance, the arts provide an outlet for children of all ages who struggle with mental health, physical health, economic instability and anything else that may be affecting their life, increasing their chances of working through their hardships and graduating high school. 

I was happy to see that in Oak Park and River Forest’s new Project 2 development, the green room and other theater spaces were scheduled for renovation along with the pool and athletic facilities. I am fortunate to go to a school in which the arts are very much supported; however, this is not the case for many schools nationwide. In fact, when budget cuts are imminent, the arts department is usually the first thing to go in many schools.

And this is just my personal experience within the theater department; art in schools ranges far and wide from graphic design to theater to the visual arts and so much more. Art is sometimes regarded as something that can create beauty without the need of money or any materials beyond a stage, some clay or a piece of canvas. While the creation of art never relies solely on money, in an educational setting a certain amount of money is needed to provide students with a connection to the material they are learning. If students are not connected, the benefits that can be realized through educational exposure to the arts will not be retained by students. So in order for students to get invested in their education, it’s time that arts departments get the attention from schools that they need and deserve.