Business leaders are increasingly realizing that arts education is beneficial in preparing young people for the workplace. Increasingly, business is acknowledging that arts education develops collaborative and teamwork skills, technological competencies, flexible thinking, and an appreciation for diversity. The need for imagination and creativity in the work force is creating a new alliance between arts education and business. Aside from specific disciplinary content, arts education is valuable in three important senses: (1) arts education contributes to the quality of education overall and builds critical thinking skills; (2) arts education builds specific work force skills that business values; (3) an education in the arts builds values that connect children to themselves and to their own culture and civilization; and (4) arts education helps the nation produce citizens and workers who are comfortable using many different symbol systems (verbal, mathematical, visual, auditory). Examples of businesses supporting arts education can be seen throughout the country. One of the most effective ways for businesses and professional to support arts education is to become directly involved in partnerships with local schools and arts organizations. Making partnerships work requires having a vision, planning, leveraging resources, and generating commitment, as well as professional development opportunities for teachers, support for artists, good communication, and promotion. (MN)