Case Study: ArtsSmarts and ArtReach
Scotiabank and the AGNS partnered for the 2023-24 school year to provide 184 art-making sessions reaching more than 2,700 students province-wide. Interactive in nature, school programs encourage self-expression and multiple ways of understanding ideas and issues. ArtsSmarts and ArtReach are distinct programs that serve all regions of the province and respond to feedback from educators and partners who inform these critical arts offerings.
The impact of these programs on participants was palpable during the sessions. The student, the schoolteacher, and the artist experienced the benefits and enjoyment of artmaking in a supportive environment. Our school programs promote physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being while strengthening and maintaining student engagement and self-esteem. Thanks to the financial support of Scotiabank, we are better able to bring the benefits of creative activity to students across Nova Scotia.
“It’s why I really like visual arts: the kids who struggle with reading and writing who are all the sudden free to create and put their ideas down. The students will remember this for a long time – if not forever. I can’t say enough about it as far as how much it was worth.”
-David Fitch, Glooscap Elementary, June 2024
Program Sponsor
