TORONTO - Students in Grades 1 through 12 will benefit from new arts education resources and professional development for teachers, thanks to nearly $5 million in provincial funding, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne announced today.

"Arts education is critical to our kids’ intellectual, physical and emotional growth," said Wynne. "By studying dance, drama, media arts, music and visual arts, students learn to think more creatively and critically, and further develop the ability to work with others."

Public school boards across Ontario will receive more than $4 million to buy musical instruments, art supplies and other resources to support dance, drama, music and media arts in elementary and high schools. In addition, arts education associations and community organizations will share almost $800,000 to develop resources and host artists, performances and workshops in schools.

The outcomes of arts education - creativity, imagination, innovation and originality - are among the most important resources for economic prosperity in the 21st century. Ontario’s entertainment and creative industries contribute nearly $9.9 billion to the provincial economy and generate approximately 185,000 jobs. Over the next two decades, job growth in this sector is expected to surpass most of Ontario’s other thriving employment sectors.

The investment is part of the McGuinty government’s commitment to improving Ontario’s public education system. Students are already benefiting from government initiatives intended to help more students succeed, including:

• Providing a more well-rounded education, with funding to hire 1,600 elementary specialist teachers in areas such as music, the arts, as well as phys-ed
• Providing every school in the province with more textbooks, learning resources and library books with funding of $535 million
• Funding to hire 3,600 teachers to reduce the number of students in JK to Grade 3 classes to a maximum of 20 students in 90 per cent of classes
• Transforming the Ontario high school experience with six innovative programs to keep kids learning until age 18, including Grade 8-9 transition teams, expanded co-op education and specialist high skills majors that allow students to focus on the career path that matches their unique skills and interests
• Introducing character building initiatives in schools to inspire students to become caring and contributing citizens.

"Reaching every student and helping them achieve their full potential means providing them with a well-rounded education," said Wynne. "Ontario has a terrific arts education curriculum and we want to support schools in delivering that program."