In a new partnership unveiled Friday, Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and state Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster plan to spearhead a statewide task force that puts increased emphasis on arts education in Wisconsin schools. 

The announcement of the task force, known officially as the Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity in Education, aims to examine state-level arts education practices and encourage the creative skills that arts education sharpens.

Lawton said the partnership, the first of its kind, was an important step toward improving the skills of students entering an ever-evolving workforce.

“In the 21st century, arts education is no longer enrichment. It’s core curriculum,” she said. “Arts and creativity [are] tools in other disciplines, because we need to be innovators in all disciplines.” 

Lawton offered evidence for the growing importance of arts and creativity in the 21st century.

“GE and Procter and Gamble have engineers in their arts and design crew meeting together,” she said. Lawton also brought up a recent Harvard Business Review article that said “the MFA is the new MBA,” further demonstrating the importance of arts-related skills in business.

Patrick Gasper, spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, echoed the importance of arts education in giving kids the tools they need to succeed.

“Skills in the arts are exactly the skills employers say they need,” Gasper said. “The arts are no longer a luxury of education.” 

Gasper added that the partnership is preliminary and that more specific goals of the partnership, as well as a timeframe for the goals of the partnership, are forthcoming.

University of Wisconsin music professor of music Janet Jensen said the personal skills developed by studying or playing music encourage creative minds and critical thinking. 

“Musical training has a clear impact on brain development and cognitive and symbolic functioning,” she said. “In music, people learn to lead as well as follow, to take and make constructive criticism and work together in groups, which are the skills needed to succeed in business.”

Joel Spiess, a recent UW graduate and current student music teacher of music, affirmed the importance of arts and music in child development.

“Kids are used to having things put in front of them and not doing things themselves,” he said. “Music requires a concentrated group effort and allows kids to increase their creative skills.”

John Murray, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said the partnership sounded promising, but held off on endorsing it before more concrete plans are announced. 

“We look forward to seeing the recommendation of the task force,” Murray said. “Anything that strengthens the ability of our children to compete in the global marketplace is worthy of consideration.”

Lawton said the idea for the task force was born at a roundtable conference she attended last fall that was held by Americans for the Arts and actor Robert Redford. The conference, which was held under the motto “Thinking Creatively, Working Globally,” aimed to highlight creativity and innovation by emphasis in the arts.