This article reports on the understandings and practices of primary teachers in implementing the arts curriculum since the 2010 introduction of National Standards in Numeracy and Literacy within the New Zealand Education system. The ever‐mounting pressure on schools to perform to these standards has resulted in a reduction of emphasis and time allocation in the classroom to the arts. In numerous schools the arts have been marginalised to little more than that of decoration and marketing status. Data was collected using a questionnaire and individual interviews from 124 primary teachers within nine schools located in three geographic clusters. The large majority of these teachers indicated that art was not a priority, and that less time was spent on creating art works since the introduction of National Standards. The art that was taught tended to be integrated with other teaching areas. Teachers in referring to art were often referring to visual art which was the dominant art discipline. Professional development for staff in the arts was non‐existent and was never part of a teacher's professional appraisal. All aspects of the National Arts Curriculum were very rarely taught, with most teachers feeling ill prepared to implement the full arts curriculum. In classrooms where an art discipline was successful taught it was largely due to the passionate interest and prior involvement in the art by the individual teacher.