Arts in Education Week: Ensuring Every Student Has Access to Creativity

September 7-13, 2025 is National Arts in Education Week, a time to recognize how the arts shape students’ lives and help them succeed academically, socially, and personally. Here in Culver City, that celebration feels especially urgent. With state and federal budget cuts reducing what schools can provide for art supplies, many of our district’s most creative opportunities would not be possible without support from the Culver City Education Foundation (CCEF).

Thanks to generous community donations, CCEF funds the paints, clay, drawing tools, canvases, and other supplies that bring art classes to life across CCUSD:

• Elementary Schools: In the Art & Innovation Labs, students explore painting, sculpting, tinkering, and even coding – combining creativity with design thinking. These hands-on opportunities allow young learners to develop artistic skills alongside problem-solving and innovation.
• Middle School: The Visual Arts elective introduces students to a wide range of materials, from paints to canvas, helping them grow in artistic expression while building confidence and technical ability.
• High School: In Visual Arts and Ceramics, students dive deeper – developing technical skills, learning to create meaningful works, and expressing themselves through clay, paints, and other media. These electives provide a foundation for future study, careers, and lifelong creative practice.

Why does this matter? Decades of research confirm that arts education strengthens problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication. These skills transfer directly into success in math, science, language arts, and beyond. Students who participate in the arts also show improved motivation, higher levels of focus, and greater confidence.

The arts are not “extras.” They are essential. And with your support, CCEF ensures that every student in CCUSD has access to high-quality arts experiences, even in the face of budget cuts.

During Arts in Education Week, we celebrate the creativity of Culver City students, and the community support that makes it possible.

Learn more about the arts offerings at CCUSD at www.ccusdarts.com.