The Arts Curriculum and Strands
- "Art is not for art's sake, but for the sake of man: to ennoble, inspire, comfort, encourage, and to help him discern a higher ideal. . . . It is true that art alone may not be able to spare mankind from war, famine, poverty, deceit, and the abuses that humanity can commit against itself, but lasting art can raise us above these mortal conditions, revitalizing us against adversity, lifting our vision and aspirations beyond the horizon of our everyday lives. It can distill within a song, or verse, or book the essence of truth and the rewards of virtue. Real art is illumination, light in mortality, that can, in emotional detail, help us understand who we are, what we believe, where we come from, and what awaits us. It serves up our ideas as well as our ideals and whispers truth to brace us against the night."
- - William Nixon, "The Purpose of Art" (1993), p. 5
The arts allow students to develop the ability to communicate and represent their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in numerous ways; through exploring and expressing themselves via the arts, student can gain insights into the world around them. An appreciation of the arts encourages students to deepen their awareness and understanding of diverse perspectives, enabling them to be critically literate citizens in a global society. Participating in the arts stimulates the imagination and enables students to create ideas and images that define and shape personal and national identities.
The Ontario Grades 1-8 Arts Curriculum is organized into four strands:
Visit the individual pages for dance, drama, and visual arts for specific resources. |