Art a part of Curriculum?

If we look around our society and the societies of the world we find that people of all ages have an urge to express themselves. Through the various forms of graffitti that can be found throughout the world, to the artwork that one may bear on his or her body, people tend to search a multitude of avenues for expression through art. So, should art be a regular part of a child's curriculum? Every child deserves a chance to be exposed to what our class has been exposed to in these past weeks. Although my own paper maché project left little to be desired (as the image demonstrates), I did see that where others had previous exposure and experience with this art technique, their's (for example Stephanie's basket) turned out beautifully!! To have a chance at hands on experience with art would teach children many things not just about art but about technique that can really only be gained through experience.