Since its inception, ArtsSmarts has monitored the impact of its work in schools and communities across Canada.

Evidence of our model's success has been documented in the rich stories that artist-teacher teams have told us about the differences they see and feel in classrooms when students have opportunities to learn through creative inquiry.

Arts education research provided an initial framework for interpreting the lessons ArtsSmarts was learning from its partners. Too often, however, this area of research tended to describe the effects of learning through the arts versus capturing the potential of artistic inquiry - the iterative cycle of inquiry, design, expression and reflection - as a way of learning.

As a learning organization, ArtsSmarts practices collaborative action research. Our goal is to test ideas and build new theory about the possibilities inherent in designing classroom environments where the combination of knowledge, innovation and creativity is seamless in students' experience and expression of learning.

With a focus on student engagement, ArtsSmarts' research also contributes to a growing awareness of the need to build greater reciprocity between what we know about effective teaching and understand about effective learning.  When teachers and artists collaborate in effectively implementing ArtsSmarts in classrooms, students are invited to engage with the curriculum by way of rich and authentic learning for the 21^st century.