THE IMPORTANCE OF ART

(and no, this won’t be an insanely long pretentious diatribe that will bore you to death)

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Today’s society is in danger of forming a bad habit:  it’s ignoring and under-funding the arts both privately and in our schools. It’s our cultural duty to stop devaluing art and those who dedicate their lives to it…to stop demeaning artists by telling them to get “real” jobs; to recognize the contributions art brings to the world by not only creating beauty but challenging and changing paradigms and mores; by connecting people and cultures in a way few other things can; by raising awareness and giving voice to those who may otherwise be forced into silence; by connecting us emotionally and making us feel less alone, making us feel understood in this world.

The impact and reach of art is so vast it would be impossible to list all the ways it impacts and shapes our lives and our world.

 

Art is important enough that we sent examples into the depths of space as a means to help communicate who we are as a species to any life forms that may encounter our message and by extension, us.  That is powerful.

Cultures are often remembered and defined by two things:  The wars they fought and societies they destroyed or the beauty they created.  It’s our collective and individual responsibility to decide which truly makes the world a better place.  And if we decide art is the more noble, life altering, world changing, unifying option then we must also decide to support and encourage the arts as wells as artists.   We must not waver.  We must be brave, bold and embrace the arts with open minds and open hearts.  Art can change the world.