Why Arts in Education Matters to Mental Health and to Us
September 14‑20, is National Arts in Education Week, a time to celebrate how the arts help young people learn, grow, and thrive.
At Beauregard Creative Arts Therapy, we know deeply that creative expression is not just a classroom subject. It is a human need. A way to process feelings, build identity, and connect with others. It is also a powerful tool in the therapy room.
As therapists and artists, we see every day how the arts open doors that words alone cannot. Whether through drama, movement, visual art, storytelling, or music, creative modalities allow clients to:
Express complex or overwhelming emotions
Explore different parts of themselves with curiosity and compassion
Build confidence, agency, and voice
Connect with cultural identity and lived experience
Feel seen without judgment
What the research says
Research consistently shows what we know in our hearts. The arts support mental health, especially for young people navigating stress, trauma, and transitions.
Multiple studies find that regular involvement in creative and performing arts is linked with reduced anxiety, depression, and stress. One large 2024 review of over 200 articles found a positive association between arts engagement and overall well‑being in adolescents (source).
Creative practices also help with emotional regulation, social connection, and meaning-making. In a randomized controlled trial with university students, a program combining drumming, dancing, and improvisation significantly reduced stress and improved mood, while also increasing feelings of self-expression and belonging (source).
Among younger children, arts-inclusive programs show benefits in lowering cortisol (a stress hormone), improving emotional awareness, and helping kids manage feelings in healthier ways (source).
Arts education builds social-emotional skills like empathy, communication, and resilience. These are the very capacities that help young people recover from trauma, navigate life changes, and find their voice in the world (source).
Why this matters to us
In schools and beyond, arts programs are often the first to be cut. But the arts are not extra. They are essential. They are a way for people of all ages to make meaning, connect to self and others, and heal.
We believe that mental health and creative development go hand in hand. That access to the arts is an equity issue. That honoring creativity is a way to honor the full humanity of each client, especially those whose voices have been historically marginalized.
So this week, we celebrate our fellow arts educators, teaching artists, students, and creative therapists. When people are supported in expressing themselves freely and authentically, healing happens.