Enhancing an enriched curriculum for 21st century public education system that prepares students to compete favorably in the global skills race is an issue that has attracted attention in recent times. Students deserve not only exposure to the curriculum of academic learning but also extracurricular experiences that develop them as whole persons with a repertoire of 21st century skills. This paper makes a case for arts based extra-curricular activities. The paper discusses how music, dance, drama and visual arts have all been long-standing and effective extra-curricular activities in many schools across the globe. The potentials of these arts based activities on the development of 21st century skills are also explored. The paper concludes by noting that arts based extracurricular activities also encompass all of the fine and performing arts as well the use of ICT. As such, they can be used to encourage students learn to trust one another, take risks, become part of a larger community, learn to interact more effectively with their peers, form a deeper and more sophisticated sense of creativity
