(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 21, 2002 ) New York: Investment in art education could save the nation hundreds of billions of dollars a year and lead to a safer society in which to live, according to a report published today.

The report also confirmed that art helps boost confidence levels and eases stress and that there has been a noticeable increase in the uptake of art classes since the September 11 attack on America.

“Art impacts on every aspect of our lives whether we are aware of it or not. An investment in art is an investment in our nation’s future,” says the report Expanding Horizons from Rivky’s Arts Workshop, a New York-based art school.

Students who take art classes, irrespective of their socio-economic background, perform better in reading and math tests than those who do not. This is also true for troubled students and those with learning disabilities who are the most likely to drop out of school. The report was compiled exclusively for Rivky’s Arts Workshop by Mediawise Statistics.

Studies worldwide confirm that art training improves academic performance at every level in schools and colleges. It encourages learning and boosts academic achievement through better reading and writing skills thus creating more rounded individuals.
However, many children with learning disabilities drop out of high school, many find it difficult to get or hold down a job and a disproportionately large number of illiterate children and adults end up in juvenile detention or jail.
And, there is a direct correlation between illiteracy and crime.

More than 60% of all adult prisoners are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders are poor readers. There are currently 1.96 million prison inmates and maintaining the criminal and civil justice system costs over $147 billion - more than $500 annually for every, man, woman and child.


The effects of illiteracy cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars a year as children and adults with learning disabilities are unable to fulfill their true potential. More than 42 million American men and women - one in five adults - are functionally illiterate and an additional 50 million have serious reading problems.

However, young offenders with poor or no reading ability respond to education through art. The report found that they become more literate, this boosts self-esteem and helps their return into society where they are less likely to re-offend.
If art was more widely available in the juvenile justice system it could save billions of dollars in incarceration costs and lead to lower insurance premiums and a safer, social environment.

Not only have art classes not only been shown to help the illiterate and the incarcerated, they have tremendous therapeutic benefits for the medically ill, mentally ill and the elderly. Art also helps those suffering from Alzheimer’s, addictions and bereavements and are increasingly used to ease stress. Art classes nationwide have seen enrolments increase significantly since 9.11.

Ends
Note to editors.

Rivky’s Arts Workshop, founded by Rivky Shimon, an internationally-acclaimed artist, uses proprietary teaching techniques developed by her over the past 15 years, that revolutionizes the way art is taught. Her program has been successfully taught to thousands of students of all ages and abilities, and has proved to have particular benefits for those with learning disabilities and physical handicaps.

Mediawise Statistics is the research division of Mediawise Communications US, an international business strategy and communications company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

For more information contact Don Philpott of Mediawise Communications 407.862.5477

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