The role of visual arts and art education provides key elements for students to engage with the world around them. The study of art can encourage multicultural and social awareness, so students may critically assess their environments in ways that are amalgamated with the study of art. These characteristics of art education make it a significant component in the movement toward social change. Art education under the multicultural framework conceptualizes and challenges what it means to consider the social stratifications that exist in current educational systems and classrooms.

Multicultural art education promotes the notion of cultural equality and the significance of teaching and learning about diverse groups in society. Art education opens the opportunity to discuss cross-cultural differences productively. It raises the question of finding how to broaden the perspective of others and ways of thinking. Art educators can utilize art history; specifically counter-narratives, to address multicultural histories, heritages, and traditions. Students can explore their own identities and cultures regardless of who they are and where they are from in the art classroom. The importance of visual arts is for students to create without the process being dictated by ideas that are not their own. Art education for social justice in conjunction with multicultural education, considers students’ race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability, without discrimination. As art educators, it is integral to be advocates for inclusivity, accessibility, justice, and fairness for our students. Students should know that their opinions, ideas, creativity, and voices matter. That is why we must be accountable as art educators to build the bright future they deserve.