This policy paper discusses the benefits of arts education. The goals of the research were to 1) identify educational and community benefits to art and arts education; 2) conduct a nationwide survey of existing arts and cultural initiatives to understand the broader contexts of arts programming in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and 3) identify ways organizations and policy makers could meaningfully engage and support burgeoning arts initiatives in Ras Al Khaimah. This research cites studies that detail how arts education programs enhance educational outcomes and contribute to community development, particularly civic engagement and scholarly achievement. Based on ethnographic and archival research, it then surveys a history of arts initiatives in the UAE, and identifies resources for potential growth of arts education initiatives in Ras Al Khaimah.
