The IB does offer art and music courses that really stretch the kids. Some of the most amazing art work I have seen has been from kids who really learned how to express themselves in art through the IB program.
As far as having time to be a teenager - yes, they do, but they will have a lot of work to do to. They do need to be efficient with their studying to have lots of time to be a teenager.
I hope you don't count my info as negative. Because I think the program is often misunderstood in the US's attempt to get more rigor in the classroom without really being able to explain what the students are getting into before they get there.
What is really important is having a good foundation going into the program. If the students have had a rigorous grade 9 and 10, then the IB should be fine, if they are coming from lax, easy gr 9 and 10, then diving into the IB is nightmarish. This also depends heavily on the teachers' understanding of the way IB works, and how much training and experience they have had.
I would not rule out the IB unless the school does not offer the art and music courses as part of group 6 options.
