Why is arts education important?

So i'm in Cape Cod for the Thanksgiving holiday, which I am so happy about. I'm so lucky to be out of the city, in a beautiful place, and especially to be with amazing people! Lots of good discussion about the mid east conflict, and I'm thinking about how we can get people to think out of the box. Seriously, where can one challenge how she/he thinks about the world in a different way? Where can we challenge our identities and forge new ones? My answer is the arts, but I'm really curious if other people have other answers.

Here's a brief article I just ran across that provides some answers to the importance of arts education in a straightforward way. I think it simplifies things a bit, but still, it makes some points!

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/arts-education/willingham-six-practical-reaso.html

My favorite quote:
"children today would typically watch television or roam the internet, activities that are frequently passive and which encourage conformity. The arts, Kagan argues, offer that sense of agency, of creation."

Happy Thanksgiving!