Arts and 21st Century Skills: Wisconsin and North Carolina are Moving Forward

Two states have made definitive statements about the importance of arts learning in developing the next generation of innovators.

In January, the Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity published its plan for action. It recommends specific actions for making the arts a more integral part of the state's innovation infrastructure, but there is much in the report that has national application. I particularly liked its description of creative skills and attitudes, followed by what attributes in the environment nurture creativity.

North Carolina has published Arts Education and 21st Century Skills, a document that aligns the state's fine arts standards with the competencies outlined by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. This is an eloquent illustration of how much the arts contribute to the development of innovatiove thinkers, and I think it could be used as a model for anyone who is thinking about how to integrate 21st century skills with any academic content.