“When arts and culture interweave in the fabric of a community, it helps cities attract tourists, diverse talent, brings about innovation and grows the economy. From citizens, individual artists, cultural organizations to businesses and government leadership—everybody in the ecosystem benefits from the arts…”
Though it’s clear that there are tangible benefits to the enjoyment in experiencing the arts, it can be a challenge sometimes to convince non-art supporters how important the arts are to our kids’ lives and overall well-being. There is mounting research that suggests arts education has a powerful influence on kids in areas ranging from critical thinking and math skills to multicultural understanding and confidence.
Putting art at the heart of a community enhances our lives by stirring hard-to-articulate feelings and inspiring us to look beyond what we believe to be possible and imagine a more vibrant, exciting future. It also reminds us that we’re all creative beings and that whether we’re making art or music, telling stories or cathartically sharing in the experience, we’re all connected.
Collette Murphy Stefanko 