Raiders of the Lost Art

A student documentary by Erin Hegarty, Michelle Snyder and Megan Gilhooley discusses the importance of arts education in society. Youths and adults both give their perspectives on the arts. The video details the lack of state funding to preserve the arts, particularly in California, which ranks last in funding for arts education. (Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting $4.8 billion from the arts budget, much to the outrage of many California residents).

An important part of the school-wide curriculum, the arts are a form of intellectual and creative enrichment, providing people with a means of uninhibited personal expression, a medium where ideas, feelings, and beliefs can be shared freely. Its prevalence fosters a healthy, civic society. Arts advocate Danielle Brazelle cites a study by the National Endowment for the Arts that reveals people who participate in the arts are more physically active, read more and volunteer more in their communities. Unfortunately, in times of economic struggle, arts programs are generally the first to be cut, which diminishes the quality of education available to youths and adults.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• education
• art