This study examined the influence of education art on students’ cognitive development, creative expression, and academic performance in selected secondary schools in Gulu District. A mixed-methods approach was employed, where data were collected from 150 students and 15 teachers using questionnaires and interviews. The study specifically assessed how different forms of education art such as visual arts, music, drama, and curriculum-based creative activities contributed to problem-solving skills, academic performance, and creativity development. The regression analysis results revealed that education art had a strong and statistically significant positive effect on students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills (R² = 0.62, p < 0.001). Among the predictors, drama and role play (β = 0.35), visual arts engagement (β = 0.31), and music and rhythm activities (β = 0.28) were the most influential contributors. Similarly, creative expression significantly influenced academic performance (R² = 0.58, p < 0.001), with classroom creativity support (β = 0.38) and creative writing (β = 0.33) emerging as key determinants. Furthermore, institutional and teacherrelated factors significantly shaped educators’ perceptions of creativity development (R² = 0.66, p < 0.001), with teacher training in art methods (β = 0.34) and availability of art resources (β = 0.30) showing strong effects. The study concluded that education art plays a crucial role in enhancing students’ cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and creativity development. It further established that both instructional practices and institutional support systems are essential in maximizing the benefits of art education. Therefore, the study recommended increased investment in art education programs, improved availability of learning resources, and enhanced teacher training in creative and artistic instructional methods to strengthen learners’ critical thinking and creativity skills.