The visual arts are basic to a complete education, providing students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in the use of media, tools, techniques, and critical thought processes that are important for success in our rapidly changing world. As students make cultural and historical connections to works of art, they discover their own heritage and learn to understand and value the cultures of others. An education in the visual arts:
• helps students develop skills in thinking, knowing, learning, and communicating;
• promotes effective presentation of ideas;
• stimulates thinking that can lead to creative solutions;
• makes cultural and historical connections;
• fosters appreciation of commonalities and differences; and
• engages, inspires, and compels students to learn throughout their lives.
For a complete listing of state standards for art, please visit the Colorado Department of Education’s Web sit at