Unless you've been living under a rock for the entirety of your human existence, art has most likely affected your life in some way or another. I know what you're probably thinking: how has some painting/sculpture/drawing that some old, dead guy from centuries ago had any kind of impact on my life?
That's a fair point. But, art is not just the visual stuff.
Art can be any kind of creative medium, whether it's a painting, a sculpture, a drawing, a song, a movie, a play, a book, a poem…you get the idea.
It is my firmly held belief that art is the epitome of human expression.
What do I mean by that nicely phrased statement? In layman's terms, I believe that human beings are creative creatures by nature, and that to express our creative ideas and basic human emotions, we have to create (or in the very least, enjoy) any kind of art that we can. It's essential to our survival, emotionally speaking.
Here are my personal top five reasons why art matters, and why it always will.
Art is power.
Art gives a voice and a platform to those who are facing some pretty tough obstacles in life. Oftentimes, the people that receive huge, amazing benefits that art can bring forth are the people that have been largely marginalized by society. Art gives these folks a voice that they would not normally be given in society, and that's pretty damn powerful.
Art can heal.
This one kind of goes along with the first one, but I've personally been in some tough situations, and the art form of music has definitely pulled me out of some pretty dark places.
Art can bring people together.
Yes, I'm well aware of how much this one sounds like the "let's sit in a circle and hold hands" cliché, but it's an important truth to point out. Art has the power to bring together groups of complete strangers and this power reminds us that despite our different societal/political/social views, we can all connect on an interpersonal level. That's pretty amazing.
Art has incredible staying power.
Chances are if you've ever had any kind of formal, or even informal, schooling, you've been exposed to some kind of art. (Yes, I'm talking about your high school Art class, history class, or even your basic college-level art appreciation class.) While some of these classes are simply degree requirements, you've most likely learned about different forms of art and/or different artists themselves that have been considered "classics" or "greats," even though these artists are most likely dead. (I'm sure if you were to hear Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony," or see a photo of Michelangelo's sculpture, "David," you would be able to name either artwork.)
Art is a medium to express political/social beliefs.
This one gets a bit more heavy, but some of the greatest (or most notorious, and even flat out abhorrent) expressions of political and social beliefs have been expressed through some art form. A lot of political protest songs are subversive in the ways that the writers/singers have expressed their beliefs, but their art is the way that they have been able to make their feelings on certain subjects known. On the flip side of this point, there have been plenty of God-awful and abhorrent political propaganda campaigns that have tapped into the arts to make these views known. (See any oppressive political propaganda, or literally any kind of racist and bigoted artwork.) Whether positive or incredibly negative, art is a widely accessible platform for artists to voice their beliefs.
Whether you're a fellow songwriter/singer/poet/artist like myself, if you appreciate art for art's sake, or if you just really love being entertained by that new art piece you've seen, the arts have had an impact on your life. That singular reason is probably the biggest one to show why the arts matter.
Without art, we wouldn't be human.
