If art is constantly changing, why has arts education stayed the same?

Arts education needs a serious refresh.

Sure, a ‘C’ chord is still a ‘C’ chord. An 8-count is still eight counts. Red and blue still make purple. But we have to acknowledge the gap between conventional arts education and our students that’s growing wider every year. Yeah, Art! modernizes arts education to reflect today’s culture, technology and most importantly — our students.

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Art is an endangered subject.

Yeah, Art! is based in Oakland, California, where schools face $33.5 million in budget cuts in 2021, following $25 million in cuts in 2020. Arts programs are often the first to be sacrificed in these cuts. Yeah, Art! provides an accessible solution to keep art in classrooms, with a focus in the low-income districts that need our services the most.

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Arts education is not diverse enough.

Not even close. Across history, text books have erased the contributions of people of color. This is glaringly apparent in arts education, with European artists and western conventions being celebrated as the ideal. Yeah, Art! centers the work of underrepresented artists, exposing the next generation to new creative heroes.

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The power of the arts, by the numbers.

Overwhelming evidence shows engaging students in the arts leads to better performance across all subjects, higher attendance, stronger social skills, greater self esteem among countless other benefits.

 

 

90% 

Schools with music education showed a 90.2% graduation rate, compared to 72.9% graduation rate in schools without music education. [1]

4x

Students who participate in the arts are 4x more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem. [3]

94%

Schools with music education showed a 93.9% student attendance, compared to 84.9% attendance in schools without music education. [1]

 

4%

Students of low socioeconomic status with a high participation in the arts have a drop-out rate of 4% compared to a 22% for their peers. Students with high arts participation more likely to remain in school and participate actively in the classroom. [3]

97%

97% of business leaders rate creativity as an increasingly important and desirable trait in the U.S. workplace, but 85% of these employers say that can’t find the creative applicants they seek. [3]

3x

Students of low socioeconomic status who have high exposure to the arts have better academic outcomes, set higher career goals, and become more civically engaged. They are 3x more likely to earn a bachelor's degree than their peers with little or no access to the arts. [2]

 

[1] The National Association for Music Education, Music Makes the Grade
[2] National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts and Achievement in At-risk Youth
[3] Americans For The Arts, Living The Arts Through Language and Learning

Our values

  • Whitney Houston said it right. “We believe the children are our future.” As Big Kids, we want to work for our students one day. So we encourage #boss behavior, building the next generation of Chiefs, Presidents and Executive Creative Directors to lead with radical empathy.

  • There's a reason crayons come in packs. The range of shades, experiences, orientations and abilities is what makes a piece of art beautiful. At Yeah, Art!, we don’t create with just one color. We showcase the full spectrum of our staff and students, celebrating what makes each of us uniquely spectacular. 

  • Find out what it means to us! We think the Queen of Soul would agree with our Golden Rule: Treat others as we wish to be treated. We listen with open minds and hearts. We welcome alternative points of view. We leave space for healthy debate, accepting we’re not always going to agree and why that’s important.

  • The sky isn’t the limit — it’s just the beginning. Notice how our logo is shaped kind of like a cloud? That’s a self-reminder to aim high. We hold the highest standard for our staff, students and teaching environments. We nurture brave imaginations, encouraging young creatives to dream bigger.

  • A mark of a great choir is their ability to blend into one voice. But what’s even more beautiful is the distinct individual voices that make up that blend. At Yeah, Art!, we embrace contrast. We encourage young artists to be loud and proud in their own culture expression. Save the blending for the watercolors.

  • In the words of Erykah Badu, “We’re artists and we’re sensitive about our STUFF!” Even some of the *fiercest* creatives in history have alter egos to get over the fear of sharing their art. We build young artists up to be bolder in their own creative expression, fostering self esteem that carries to all aspects of life.

 

What folks are saying

  • “Yeah, Art! challenges students to expand their horizons through innovative arts instruction. It’s imperative for youth of all historically marginalized backgrounds to be afforded the same opportunities as other kids. ”

    Antony Ryans, California Parks and Recreation, Youth & Teens

  • “An exciting innovation in arts education. Yeah, Art! is bridging the past with our present as they work with students to create the future. No longer will budget cuts deprive students from their own creative development.”

    Dr. Kendra Ferguson, CEO & Chief of Schools, KIPP Collegiate School

  • “The Yeah, Art! faculty is gifted with students of all walks of life. Co-Founder and President Ja Ronn Thompson is uniquely blessed with the ability to get young people to follow his lead with enthusiasm, curiosity and joy.”

    Terrance Kelly, Director, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir

  • “I’s been fantastic having Yeah, Art! in my classroom. As young working artists, they can connect with the students I find harder to reach. They’ve infused my music program with of enthusiasm and joy. This has been a complete success.”

    Randy Porter, Music Director, Roosevelt Middle School

  • “What Yeah, Art! does is so important. In the real world, when you want to apply what you’ve learned in school, you need to know how to use technology. Programs like Yeah, Art! give students a real world application to music.”

    Karina Flonnoy, Sound Engineer and Founder of Studio X Recording