Future Innovators: Developing Creativity Through K-12 Arts Education in Saskatchewan Schools

By Dianne Warren. A Position Paper and Recommendations in Response to “Achieving Growth through Innovation: The Role of Arts Education in Supporting Economic Sustainability” by C. Brooke Dobni Commissioned by the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance.

[DOC:9]

How do we instill a creative spirit and the tools to be creative in our young people before they graduate from high school and move on to the work force or post-secondary education? 

Dianne Warren explores contemporary thoughts about creativity; involvement in the arts as an effective way to develop the prerequisite skills and abilities for innovative practice; the STEM to STEAM movement; innovative programs in other jurisdictions that might provide ideas for Saskatchewan; and the current environment in Saskatchewan related to school policy, curriculum and programs in the arts.

It should be noted that there are many supportable reasons to advocate for the arts in schools, ranging from the development of artistic skills to the developmental of diverse cultural understanding. Warren's paper, as a response to a Dobni’s work (see below), focuses only on the arts as a means to developing creativity. 

In 2014 the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA) commissioned C. Brooke Dobni of the University of Saskatchewan and the Edwards School of Business to write a paper on the role of arts education in supporting economic sustainability, called “[DOC:14]”. Dobni argues creativity is a prerequisite for innovation, and innovation is the means to creating new value and growth in any business, service or organization. If we accept Dobni’s premise, a reasonable next step is examining K-12 education’s role in developing these abilities.