The draw of art

Re “Education and the arts,” editorial, Sept. 11

The Rand study on arts learning is about investing in the kind of arts education that teaches the young how to see, hear and find meaning in works of art.

These skills enable people to discover what the arts have to offer, a discovery that often leads to lifelong arts involvement.

Drawing more Americans to the arts is a desirable goal of public policy because the arts enrich people’s lives, foster personal growth in ways that benefit society and contribute uniquely to public life.

Laura Zakaras

Arlington, Va.

The writer is coauthor of the Rand Corp. report, “Cultivating Demand for the Arts: Arts Learning, Arts Engagement, and State Arts Policy.”