Playing in the middle: The value of the arts in middle level education

In 2012, the Local Independent School District1 implemented a ten-year initiative to develop every school in the district into an arts-rich school. However, research on arts richness presents varied descriptions of what an arts-rich school looks like and lacks student voices. This article documents an applied project utilizing an arts-based research process to explore student beliefs about the value of the arts and arts richness in middle school. The author shares student perspectives on arts richness in the context of published research, finding that students deepen some areas of research on arts-rich education. The document concludes with reflections on defining arts richness, the arts-based research process, and areas for further consideration as schools move toward creative learning for the twenty-first century.