The arts literally make your brain grow. Participating in the visual arts for as little as 10 weeks has been shown to increase the resiliency and neural connectivity of the brain, making for increased self-awareness and better memory processing.

Education acquired in the garden can increase students' overall academic performance. Students expand their ways of thinking or habits of mind to include curiosity, flexibility, open-mindedness, informed skepticism, creativity, and critical thinking.

Three decades of research confirm that well-implemented immersion in heritage language and culture improves language acquisition, enhances test performance, increases school retention and graduation rates, college entry, and increases parent involvement and cultural pride.

After a year of singing in a chorale, older adults visited their doctor an average of 2.5 times less per year. This saves $500 per person, or up to $43.3 billion for the 86.7 million older adults in the US each year.

In Seattle, community gardens with significant public artworks tend to be larger gardens with more members, and to have at least one annual community celebration.

Participation in arts activities increases tolerance. 12th graders who participate in the arts are 40% more likely to have friends from different racial groups and 29% less likely to feel that it is ok to make a racist remark.