The arts deserve adequate funding
“When everything else is gone, the only thing left is the art, the culture of a society.”
These wise words come from Congressman Jim McDermott. I couldn’t agree more.
The arts are an invaluable asset to society. Without proper funding, the arts and society suffer.
When people think of the arts, they typically think of just the visual arts, but arts are more than just painting and sculpting. There are also performance arts, such as theater and dance. These arts aren’t only used to entertain but to enrich a community culturally, economically and educationally. America is known as a “melting pot” of cultures. The arts our nation is exposed to reflect that. When someone is presented with various art forms, the person becomes more culturally aware.
Arts can also stimulate our economy. When people go to the theater or an art exhibit, they also go out to dinner beforehand; or when they attend a concert, they will stay at a hotel. It all helps the economy.
Darrell Ayers, vice president of education at The Kennedy Center, believes the arts can also be a tool for educational purposes in making other areas of the curriculum “more creative and engaging.” For example, music can be used to understand math or theater to make works of literature more interesting.
All of these things help society, yet the arts face drastic cuts because they’re considered “unimportant.” I vehemently believe that government must start paying more attention to the arts and give them the funding they need and deserve.
The arts are an excellent, interesting way to better our community and the people who inhabit it. Whether they start by giving money to a growing theater or help make the arts a more integral part of the school day, something must be done.
Amanda Rodriguez wrote this as part of Washington Seminar at Janesville Parker High School.