If there is one thing that speaks so much about our history as a human race, you can see it through artistic expressions all around is. From primitive cave paintings to sophisticated digital art of today’s modern world, we can see man’s evolutionary progress throughout time. These artistic expressions often depicted a period in history and what it was like back then. It tells of stories forever preserved in time for the future generation to see and enjoy. From a young age, we have learned the value of the arts in our growth as a person. We learned more about the world through our abstract drawings and paintings and it will always bring back tons of good memories even as we go on with our lives as adults. Now, technology keeps on advancing and many seem to forget our roots and no longer knows how to appreciate the arts. But knowing the role of the arts in our lives, we just can’t allow that to happen.
Mankind should make a concerted effort to capture everyone’s attention and show the younger generation what the arts is all about. The arts is not just solely limited to visual masterpieces brought to life by artistic minds and hands. The arts can be anything from works of arts to artistic performances that may be done live or not. I’m sure you know what these are because you have immersed yourself in many of these artistic endeavors growing up. But what is happening to the world today? Kids spend more time in front of the screen rather than exploring and learning about the world with their own senses. Before it is too late, we should intervene and rekindle the passionate for the arts before we even forget our roots.
For my daughter and her cast mates, putting on the play was a very meaningful learning experience. They had to grapple with the challenging language and historical context of a play adapted from a 19th century French novel and set in the 17th century. The cast had to memorize lines, execute polished delivery, and master the choreography of sword fights, dances and slapstick humor.
These things required practice — the invaluable skill of doing something repeatedly that is at first unfamiliar and difficult, receiving feedback, and refining one’s approach so that success can be achieved.
The arts demand and teach self-discipline, perseverance, openness and the value of hard work. Arts education also unlocks creativity and self-expression.
(Via: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-op-1203-king-column-20171129-story.html)
Engaging in the arts yourself changes your perspectives in life. There is a certain discipline required to do good in it. It is actually a good idea to expose kids to doing artistic activities while they are still young because they not only learn or enhance their skills but because it teaches them of many positive values that only practical experience can offer. They learn a long list of values and skills that can come in handy later in life without them feeling as if they are being educated along the way like when they are in school. The more informal setting and atmosphere leaves a more lasting positive memories to young kids that will stick to them even with the passing of time.
Call it a comeback, or a resurgence. But the district is working to restore the arts. It’s happened in small ways, as principals like Georgina Tait — who leads Mann — find ways in their school budgets to afford art teachers. And it’s happening after years of financial and academic turmoil — while the district was mostly under state control — that resulted in cuts to arts and music classes and a narrow focus on subjects such as reading and math.
Instead of having pockets of schools teaching the arts, Vitti wants to create equity and access to art and music programs in every school in the district.
(Via: https://www.freep.com/story/news/2017/11/30/arts-music-restoring-detroit-schools/853757001/)
For the longest time, we have focused on educating our youth on issues we think are of prime importance to our survival. Our world is quickly becoming more digital and the youth of today are forgetting why the arts is just as important for our survival as the technology we now enjoy. Most likely they have no idea how the arts has helped us transform the world that we live in now to what it has become today. We get an idea how to forge ahead into the future if we understand our past in greater detail. And this isn’t as awful as what many would like to think because doing artistic activities is often a fun experience for many. You don’t even have to be that artistic to express your artistic side although those who can make a living with it are usually great artists to begin with. Kids will be able to gauge their own skills and sensibilities if they were given the chance to do so when they were still young. So before they lose interest in tapping their artistic side, give them a chance to figure that out for themselves by exposing them to the arts while they are still young.
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