A quality education should include courses that teach students self-expression through the visual and performing arts.  Students gain confidence in these subjects and this confidence is invaluable to them for their success in other subject areas as well.

Many teachers receive an allotted budget that is too small for purchasing the necessary materials for teaching class and must use money out of their own pockets to supplement what they need.  And then there are some art teachers who do not even get a budget.  We feel this is due to a lack of understanding as to the significance of the Arts in the educational process.

One example is the graduation rate difference in high schools that offer a variety of art, drama, music, and competitive speech with those schools that do not.  The average high school graduation rate in Arkansas ranges from 69% to 72%.  However, schools like North Little Rock West Campus High School and Little Rock Parkview High School have graduation rates over 94%.   Both of these schools offer comprehensive subjects in the Arts to their student body.

Not only are graduation rates higher, but discipline issues are drastically lower!

So to this end, the THEA Foundation’s Thea’s Art Closet program is designed to help provide adequate art supplies for public school art teachers.  We hope to create public awareness that will move this issue into higher priorities in the education system of Arkansas.

Click HERE to see the Video of our first event at the THEA Center

Click HERE to see a Slide Show of the event

Click HERE to read a description of how Thea’s Art Closet works and to get involved.

Click HERE to see In-Kind and Cash donations to date

Click HERE to learn about the 2008 Chesapeake Project