Art and Its Need for Community

Art. Such a small word used to describe such a large collection of ideas. The Encarta Dictionary defines art: "1. the creation of beautiful or thought-provoking works, e.g. in painting, music, or writing 2. Beautiful or thought-provoking works produced through creative activity". However, does this really define what art is? Can anyone really define what is considered art and what is not? Who is to say that the welder down the street is not an artist, when they themselves consider themselves as such?

Art is many different things to many different people. Some people can look at a Dali and see nothing, a distorted and odd application of paint to canvas. While for others, that same piece will provoke a very emotional, heart-felt response. The same applies to dance, and music and a myriad of other genres of art. Some people may enjoy the ballet, others contemporary urban dance. For this reason, and many others, it is imperative to have many different centers for art in a community. The more people that can access these centers, the more beneficial they are to the community that surrounds and supports them.

It is an important facet of community development to encourage the growth of the arts, in their many forms. It helps to draw a more diversified and educated population, and from this diversification stems even more creativity. This creativity is what encourages our children to become great adults, well-rounded, intelligent contributing members of society. By exposing our children to the arts, we are teaching them cultural differences that will forever mold who they will become in the future.

Developing centers for the arts, be they museums, theaters, or even a stage in the park, is essential. These venues make it possible for everyone to learn about and appreciate the many different types of art in this great world of ours. A museum, for example, will not only house works of the greats from the past, but will also display many local artists from that area. A local theater group will be just as likely to do Shakespeare as a play written by one of their own. There are so many ways to display artistic talent, and every one of these vital organizations depends on the support of their community. Without community support, they would not be able to exist, denying generation after generation exposure to a world that is created upon thinking outside of the box.