Theatre Education Changes Lives Beyond the Stage

(This Community Post was written by Educational Theatre Company (ETC) and underwritten by Embracing Arlington Arts.)

Giving young people the opportunity to engage with the performing arts serves as an investment in both them and in our communities, as “low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are more than twice as likely to graduate college than their peers with no arts education,” and “after-school arts programs [are] reducing welfare and crime costs, improving academic performance, and increasing kids’ earning potential” (Americans For The Arts).

Theatre is often viewed as only an extracurricular activity, but we know better: theatre education enhances motor, cognitive, and social-emotional learning of all students, both in the classroom and out. ETC changes lives through the arts by encouraging our four C’s: Creativity, Confidence, Collaboration, & Community.

Investment in theatre education is an investment in the community at large. Arts education has the power to “reduce crime levels.. [causing]  juvenile crime to fall by 4.2 percent on average, and slightly more (5.4 percent) in lower-income cities,” as well as making “young adults more civically engaged.” (AFTA). Manifesting as reduced crime, increased civic engagement, and an opportunity for community engagement with the performing arts, theatre education benefits the community surrounding our students as well.

At ETC, the learning never stops, and neither do the benefits students get from arts education, no matter their age, which is why we offer programming for ages 3 to 103. We’re getting ready for our summer camp season with 28 camps for ages 3-18. Won’t you join us?