The systemic reduction in attention, funding and worth allocated to the arts causes everyone to lose out, says Famke Veenstra-Ashmore.
In recent years, there has been a systemic reduction in attention, funding, and worth allocated to the Arts sector, stretching from a primary school level to the world of work. Government endorsed, the absence of value placed in sectors such as dance, fine arts, and creative industries has increased exponentially alongside the emphasis on STEM pathways.
Exacerbated by the pandemic, arts have struggled to cope with claims against their economic worth and the misleading notion that they do nothing to advance society. Yet as a population, we are relying more and more on the escapism and freedom that arts provides. Our attitude towards the sector is self-destructive and incongruous with what we widely accept as human values.
The freedom of expression is closely coded in our arts industries; what other sector provides us with the chance to manifest our ideas creatively, argue for the things we care about in resonant ways, and bring communities together around a uniting theme? Arts are essential not only to the individual, but to society as a whole...Keep reading on Varsity.
In recent years, there has been a systemic reduction in attention, funding, and worth allocated to the Arts sector, stretching from a primary school level to the world of work. Government endorsed, the absence of value placed in sectors such as dance, fine arts, and creative industries has increased exponentially alongside the emphasis on STEM pathways.
Exacerbated by the pandemic, arts have struggled to cope with claims against their economic worth and the misleading notion that they do nothing to advance society. Yet as a population, we are relying more and more on the escapism and freedom that arts provides. Our attitude towards the sector is self-destructive and incongruous with what we widely accept as human values.
The freedom of expression is closely coded in our arts industries; what other sector provides us with the chance to manifest our ideas creatively, argue for the things we care about in resonant ways, and bring communities together around a uniting theme? Arts are essential not only to the individual, but to society as a whole...Keep reading on Varsity.