In this article, the author takes on what he considers to be the false dichotomy between direct instruction and arts integration. He contends that at a time when national issues of sustainability and conservation of energy and resources become ever more urgent, it is time that those committed to quality arts education stop squandering time, money, and paper on arguing "either/or" when schools are best served by a "both/and" approach. The author argues that they need to stop seeing direct instruction and arts integration as contrary positions that need to battle it out for limited dollars, and start seeing them as complementary strategies in the service of learners.