What we do
We increase access to quality arts education for every student in Seattle Public Schools by strengthening K–12 neighborhood pathways, building partnerships, improving teaching and learning, and implementing systems, policies, and practices. The arts include dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts.
Equitable access to quality arts education is critical. The arts teach:
Multiple perspectives
There are many ways to see and interpret the world.
Complex problem-solving
Problems can have more than one solution and questions can have more than one answer.
Subtleties
Small differences can have large effects.
Arts education supports communities and society. Students who receive a robust arts education are more likely to:
- Be well-rounded, empathetic individuals
- Be motivated in their learning and active in their school
- Have improved test scores and academic performance
- Develop life and career skills, including entering college
- Be more civically-engaged as adults
Arts goals
Our arts goals are from the Seattle K-12 Arts Plan, which outlines that every student in every Seattle Public School will receive:
- High quality arts instruction that teaches sequential arts skills and techniques, develops students’ 21st Century Skills and is culturally responsive
- Instruction from certified arts teachers
- Integrated arts instruction
- Arts partnerships with community-based organizations and teaching artists
- Opportunities to connect arts to careers in high school
Report Archive
The Creative Advantage Approach
Increase arts instruction in schools
Our work prioritizes hiring more arts teachers, developing district guidelines to meet Washington State Basic Education laws, and providing resources like instruments, art supplies, and text books to ensure that every student has a well-rounded arts education and access to high quality instruction taught by certified arts teachers.
Facilitate arts planning in K-12 neighborhood pathways
We facilitate arts planning to ensure students receive a predictable arts education from kindergarten through high school. Seattle Public Schools’ K-12 pathways are defined by a neighborhood’s elementary, middle, and high school. In this work, we bring together principals, teachers, and staff to review arts equity data, and develop long-term arts visions that articulate each school’s unique goals for creating greater access through arts instruction, integration, partnerships, and community arts events.
Fund, connect, and support community arts partnerships
We have a coordinated method for schools and arts partners to engage in residencies and professional development in the arts. The Community Arts Partner Roster is a vetted list of teaching artists and community arts and culture organizations who provide integrated and cultural arts learning for students and teachers, funded by Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.
Provide professional development
We partner with arts and cultural organizations and educators to provide professional development for teachers and community members in alignment with district initiatives and best practices in arts learning. We focus on integration into different subject areas, such as integrating dance into physical education or incorporating theater in ethnic studies. These collaborations explore themes like culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed practices, social and emotional learning, and 21st Century Skills development.
Stay accountable
Evaluation is a core part of our work to stay accountable and to ensure that our approaches and strategies are making an impact. To do this, The Creative Advantage is evaluated by a third party evaluator annually. For more than 10 years, we’ve tracked students’ access to arts learning across the district, the quality of arts instruction, use of culturally responsive teaching practices, student demonstration of 21st Century Skills, and the impact of arts learning for students.
our work and community
For teachers and teaching artists
Learn about our office hours and other resources
Learn about our office hours and other resources
The Seattle K-12 Arts Plan
A set of goal posts for equitable arts education, created in 2012
A set of goal posts for equitable arts education, created in 2012
The Roster: our community arts partners
A list of teaching artists and community arts organizations
A list of teaching artists and community arts organizations