At Roberto Clemente School 8, arts in all forms are celebrated as a foundation of culture and a central aspect of learning and life. Artistic skills are understood as intelligences, and artistic achievement is valued as academic achievement. Student exhibitions of learning feature the arts along with other subjects.

The visual and performing arts are taught using the same effective instructional practices that are used in other disciplines, and all students have access to professional artists and professional exhibitions and performances. The arts build school culture and student character by emphasizing authentic performance, craftsmanship, risk-taking, creativity, and a quest for beauty and meaning. The heritage of critique in the arts forms the basis for a whole-school culture of critique in all disciplines.

At Roberto Clemente School, our goal is to use the Arts as a window into disciplinary content in other academic subjects (e.g., Ancient Greek architecture as an entry point to Ancient Greek civilization, protest songs as a case study when learning about the civil rights movement). The arts are also used as a window into diverse cultures and regions of the world.