Why Arts Education Matters
by Nichola Johnson, MFA
A reflection on why arts education is about more than performance.
At The Complex, we believe arts education is one of the most powerful forms of education a child can receive—not because it teaches students to perform, but because it teaches them to think, to create, to collaborate, and to become more fully themselves. While the arts may look different from traditional academic subjects, the learning that happens within them is no less significant. In fact, some of life's most important lessons cannot be memorized from a textbook or measured by a standardized test. They are discovered through curiosity, practice, failure, reflection, collaboration, and the courage to create something that has never existed before. That is the work of the arts.
For more than twenty years, I have watched students walk through our doors believing they were "just dancers," "just actors," or "just kids who liked to draw." What they discover is something much larger. They learn to solve problems creatively. They learn to communicate with confidence. They learn to persevere through challenges that cannot be mastered overnight. They learn that meaningful work requires patience, discipline, and vulnerability. Perhaps most importantly, they learn that their ideas have value. These lessons extend far beyond the stage.
Too often, conversations about arts education become centered on outcomes—performances, competitions, trophies, awards, college acceptances, or professional careers. While these achievements are certainly worth celebrating, they are not the purpose of an arts education.
They are simply milestones along the way. If our only goal is to produce polished performances, we risk overlooking the extraordinary learning that happens during the creative process itself. Students grow most when they are given permission to experiment, ask questions, make mistakes, revise their work, and discover solutions that no one could have prescribed in advance. Creativity cannot flourish in environments where perfection becomes the primary objective.
Excellence matters.
High standards matter.
Technical training matters.
But authentic excellence is never built on perfection alone. It grows from curiosity, persistence, thoughtful feedback, disciplined practice, and the willingness to continue learning long after applause has faded.
That belief shapes every decision we make at The Complex.It is why we encourage students to become makers, not simply doers.It is why creative thinking is valued alongside technical training.It is why we believe collaboration is as important as individual achievement.It is why we design interdisciplinary programs where dance, theatre, music, and visual arts inform one another rather than existing in isolation.
It is why we meet students where they are and create individualized pathways that honor different interests, abilities, and goals. Not every student who studies the arts will become a professional artist. Nor should that be the expectation. Some of our graduates pursue careers in dance, theatre, music, education, and the creative industries. Others become nurses, engineers, physical therapists, business owners, scientists, parents, teachers, and community leaders.
What connects them is not their profession. It is the way they think. Creative people approach the world differently. They are comfortable asking questions that have no obvious answers. They understand that meaningful work takes time. They know how to collaborate, communicate, adapt, and imagine possibilities that others may not yet see.
Those qualities are not reserved for artists.
They are qualities every community, every profession, and every generation needs. That is why arts education matters.
At The Complex, we are not simply teaching students to dance, sing, act, paint, or perform. We are helping young people discover discipline without losing curiosity. Confidence without arrogance. Excellence without perfectionism. Individuality without isolation. And creativity that extends far beyond the walls of our studios. Because long after students remember the choreography, the script, the music, or the performance, they will carry something far more important with them:
The confidence to create.
The courage to take risks.
The discipline to keep learning.
The empathy to collaborate.
And the understanding that their voice has value.
That has always been our mission: Not simply to prepare artists, but to help shape thoughtful, creative, compassionate human beings through the transformative power of the arts.
About the Author
Nichola Johnson is the Founder and Director of The Complex Performing & Creative Arts Centre, where she has spent more than twenty years helping students grow through authentic arts education. An educator, artist, and college professor, Nichola believes the arts are about far more than performance—they are a powerful way to develop creativity, confidence, critical thinking, collaboration, and lifelong curiosity. Her writing explores the philosophy and practice of arts education and the role creativity plays in helping people thrive.