There?s a line in Stephen Sondheim?s musical ?Sunday in the Park with George? where two characters are critiquing a work of art and one sings ?Work is what you do for other people, Art is what you do for yourself?.? I USED to think that sounded very self absorbed and snooty, but I?ve come to realize in the past few years that it?s really not.? It?s a comment about art?s ability to provide self protection, self regeneration, self preservation.? From my perspective, as a LIFELONG advocate and practitioner of Arts, I have to ask what will it take for the majority of us to figure out how art can heal us??
Haven?t we had our fill of ugly, angry hateful dialog between opposing political parties?? Reprehensible violence in our schools and even now, Grocery stores.? news casts and podcasts and social media posts that focus less on information and more on inflammation. our lack of common ground has us more polarized than we have been since the civil war.? How long before we all insist that something needs to change in how we behave? ?
People use Europe and Canada as examples of places laws have curbed much of the violence that we regularly experience. BUT isn?t it interesting that in both Europe and Canada, they ALSO pay much more attention to the Arts in their schools and in their daily LIVES?? They spend much more money, time, and energy on educating people?s HEARTS as well as their minds.? They know that there is extensive therapeutic value in learning to appreciate and tap into our individual and collective creativity.? They understand that like the words of the old hymn ?Bless be the Ties that bind? art is one of those ties that bind us together.? Arts bring people together. Like Lindsey's example of the Big Top Chautauqua.? Republicans, Democrats, the old and the young all attending, responding and enjoying the same event. All together without fighting. Hmmmm, what if we had more of that in our lives??
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