The recent review of the national Australian Curriculum has recommended reducing arts learning in our schools. Many in the sector see the recommendations as a direct challenge to decades of research and teaching that demonstrates that students who engage in an active, demanding, high-quality arts education are more likely to excel in their academic and non-academic lives. Sydney Ideas presents a robust forum that discusses the place of arts in our schools in response to this review. It draws on recent University of Sydney research and international research that demands that all young people everywhere must have access to a strong and sustained arts education. PANEL Michael Anderson (panel chair), Faculty of Education and Social Work Tom Alegounarias, President of the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) Rob Carlton, a Silver Logie winning actor Andrea Connell, the Principal of Sydney Girls High School Robyn Ewing, Professor of Teacher Education Faculty of Education and Social Work Professor Julianne Schultz, founding editor of Griffith REVIEW Tamara Winikoff, Executive Director, at the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) A Sydney Ideas event on 11 November 2014 http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2014/arts_as_learning_forum.shtml