The arts are a universal form of human expression and a unique way of knowing that engage us in effective, imaginative and productive activities. Learning through the arts helps us to explore, shape and communicate our sense of identity and individuality. A focus on the individual enhances our self-confidence, resilience and adaptability. It encourages our sense of belonging and community through the recognition of identities.

During adolescence, the arts provide an opportunity for age-appropriate and holistic development of the social, emotional, intellectual and personal intelligences of the student.

In arts students have opportunities to function as artists, as well as learners of the arts. Artists have to be curious. By developing curiosity about themselves, others and the world, students become effective learners, inquirers and creative problem-solvers. Students develop through creating, performing and presenting arts in ways that engage and convey feelings, experiences and ideas. It is through this practice that students acquire new skills and master those skills developed in prior learning.

Development in the arts is a dynamic process, and not necessarily linear. The student moves freely through a creative process towards a deeper understanding of the arts. The arts values the process of creating artwork and the point of realization; the two elements combined tell us what students have experienced, learned and attempted to convey. In MYP arts, the four objectives have equal importance and value. Although the objectives can be addressed separately to scaffold learning, when used collectively they enrich teaching and learning of the arts.

Thinking creatively fits naturally in the arts, but can easily become a focus in other subject groups too. This objective is essential in modern education to address the need for student-centred learning and lifelong learning, looking towards a modern context of flexible employment and a higher demand for innovation and change in the workplace. As both an objective in the arts and an approaches to learning (ATL) skill across the programme, heightened awareness of thinking creatively encourages students to develop metacognitive skills and become self-regulated learners.

Arts stimulate young imaginations, challenge perceptions and develop creative and analytical skills. Involvement in the arts encourages students to understand the arts in context and the cultural histories of artworks, thus supporting the development of an inquiring and empathetic world view. Arts challenge and enrich personal identity and build awareness of the aesthetic in a real-world context.