This curriculum framework presents a philosophy of arts education, synthesizes current research, and sets learning standards for students from kindergarten through 12th grade in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The curriculum framework's core concept is that experience in the creative process is essential for all learners, and that, in the arts, this process involves solving problems with skill and imagination, discovering new questions, ideas, and objects, or interpretations of existing works. The framework sets the expectation that all students in Massachusetts public schools will become proficient in understanding the arts and communicating in at least one arts discipline by the time they graduate from high school. According to the framework, learning in, about, and through the arts develops each learner's capacity to make meaning from experience, respond to creativity, and contribute to society. The curriculum framework is divided into the following sections: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "The Core Concept"; (3) "Guiding Principles"; (4) "The Content of the Arts: Strands and Learning Standards"; (5) "The Arts Disciplines: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts Strand"; (6) "The Arts in Context: History and Criticism Strand"; (7) "Connections Strand, Learning Standard and Examples"; (8) "References"; and (9) "Resources: Performing Arts Organizations, Museums, Bibliography." The arts framework is designed to be used in conjunction with other Massachusetts curriculum frameworks. Its content parallels that of the federally-funded national "Standards for the Arts: Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts," developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations under the guidance of the National Committee for Standards in the Arts. (BT)