As an education nonprofit, ARCK focuses on providing access to the arts to students in under-resourced public schools. We use a framework grounded in arts integration, which is exactly what it sounds like! The arts and creative skills are intentionally blended into STEM and literacy lessons, providing students with a well-rounded set of skills. Access to art education is important because the arts can increase student attendance, motivation, engagement, and, in some cases, even test scores. For Boston Public Schools that lack access to the arts, ARCK is able to bring high-quality creative resources, and through ARCK’s Creativity Catalyst framework, students feel empowered to try out new ideas and ways of thinking both in and out of the classroom.
ARCK’s founder, Sara Mraish-Demeter, explains that:
"ARCK harnesses art's power to close gaps in creativity and opportunity, unlocking children's full potential through equity. Beyond academics, we prioritize safe, inclusive classrooms where students and educators flourish across all subjects. Now, more than ever, we must teach Adaptability, Responsibility, Collaboration, and Kindness to address global challenges. It's urgent to reimagine education, dismantling structural racism for a better, safer world."
And the impact of arts education can be seen in both the students and teachers at ARCK’s partner schools. Around 87% of ARCK students made academic connections to their creative work during ARCK’s classes, with 100% of classroom teachers confirming that ARCK’s curriculum promoted social emotional growth, student voice, and social action.
Another core component of ARCK’s arts integration is the inclusion and representation of diverse cultures, exposing students to new traditions they otherwise might not have learned about. A previous study found that ninth-graders who received cultural education in school had an overall GPA increase of 0.39 points, showing just one of many benefits that this type of education can provide.
Recently, our teaching artists introduced students to Suminagashi, the ancient art of Japanese marbling. This method of art involves placing ink on a small piece of paper in a water-filled container and using it to create beautiful marbled paper with colorful patterns.
ARCK team members workshop the Suminagashi lesson at DLAB before sharing it with students
During this activity, ARCK educators raised questions about how water, ink, and paper work together and create resulting patterns. Why does the ink float instead of sinking to the bottom? What are the properties of each liquid (ink and water) that make this possible? How is this style of art different from applying paint directly to paper? Students were also expected to work collaboratively; this involved patience and collaboration, two valuable interpersonal skills that were necessary for the activity to be successful. There was also an element of mindfulness as students chose specific colors to make unique patterns and watched in quiet awe as the patterns swirled around the pan.
Another example of ARCK’s arts integration is a successful mentorship writing program designed by first and fifth graders. Students representing some of the youngest and oldest members of the K–5 school organized their own art-infused penpal campaign. Fifth graders bestowed wisdom based on their 5 years of experience, and first graders gave the older students, who would be entering middle school, advice on what was helpful for them when starting somewhere new. This developed students’ literacy skills and gave them the chance to be creative with their envelope, stamp, and letter designs. This tied in nicely with a lesson about the postal system, providing them with valuable real-world knowledge, like how to write an address on an envelope, what a stamp is used for, and how to format a letter. Students were able to use their voices to support each other. They practiced empathy, built connections, and felt empowered to use their own experiences to help another person.
Fifth-grade student’s letter to a first-grade student
ARCK is passionate about arts integration because of what it can do for students and the interdisciplinary benefits that are incredibly valuable for equitable education. As an ARCK teaching artist puts it, “It makes me happy to see students’ creativity, see them shine, and help them feel confident in their work.”
By Isabella Chung