As a jewelry designer, Jan Harasim might not have been the first person you would think of to teach life skills. But James Allen, director of Knowledge-First Empowerment Center in Houston, TX, knew differently.

Music has been part of my journey, my healing. Music saves lives. I know it saved mine.

As an arts educator, university supervisor, and past-president of the American String Teachers Association, Mary Wagner has spent her professional life dedicated to the arts.

Whether it’s in a bird’s morning song or the architecture of a skyscraper, most of us are able to recognize art in our everyday lives.

Celebrate the arts in America by creating a video that tells "Why Arts Matter" to you.

Lead contamination and art may not seem as though they have much in common but when renowned artist Mel Chin discovered that the soil of New Orleans was among the most lead-polluted in the United States he decided art was part of the solution.

The civic value of music in America is far greater than entertainment alone. Music can help youth to develop "the imagination to create," as well as discipline, perseverance, teamwork and other critical skills needed to succeed in the 21st Century.

Every year, Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis dedicates countless hours to keeping the spirit of jazz alive through Jazz at Lincoln Center's education initiatives. At the forefront of the organization's mission is educating younger generations about jazz, America’s unique art form, which is imperative not only to continuing the music's legacy but also understanding the values it represents.