But why do we act like it isn't?
Happy Sunday. I may be preaching to the choir here, given that a blog about creativity is likely to attract readers who practice art as often as possible. Still, I believe it’s worth repeating, if for no other reason than to serve as a reminder to self, that art matters, art is worthwhile, and germane to the title of this week's post, art is serious business.
For the avoidance of doubt, when I say “serious business”, I simply mean art should be considered as important as any other worthwhile pursuit. It pains me to have to write this, but as an artist, I’ve had front row seats in environments where art isn’t taken seriously. I’ve had first hand experiences with people who believe art is what kids do in school for thirty minutes every week, art is what adults do when they’re able to carve out free time, and art is something to pursue only when all other needs are met.
It is unfortunate that many in society hold some, or all the above beliefs. You might even be one of them, and that’s okay, but I only hope I can change your mind, or at least get you thinking about reevaluating your beliefs and challenging these preconceptions, one essay at a time. And in this essay, I'd like to highlight two of the many, many reasons why art matters.
Firstly, art builds community. A few weeks ago I wrote about how art can foster and improve community ties, and could thus be the ace in the hole we need to combat the loneliness epidemic. We've been creating and consuming art ever since our species lived in caves, and there is no better time to get back to our roots than today, given the increasingly polarised society we live in. Art is an agent of cohesion and togetherness, but don't take my word for it, take it from writer Anne Lamott…
"Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship." – Anne Lamott
Secondly, in addition to art being an essential ingredient in building communities, art can also be a vessel for political and social change, and indeed it is almost always at the forefront of seismic political and societal movements. You'd struggle to recall any significant protest or movement in the last century which didn't have art and artists at its centre. From protest anthems to visual art, from spoken word to the written form, art not only plays a huge role in reshaping conversations at the societal level, it also helps to chronicle events and preserve them for posterity.
Case in point, last week we saw Liberation in the theatre. Liberation is a play about the Fifth Pan-African Congress which took place in Manchester in October 1945, and as the name implies, the gathering was integral to the independence movements of dozens of African countries in the mid-20th century. It was interesting to see how this rather hefty subject matter was conveyed through dramatic irony, and how comic relief was employed to punctuate dramatic tension. Furthermore, I’ll be the first to admit I knew next to nothing about the organisation and its key players before seeing the play, so right out the gate the experience was informative as it was entertaining.
In the play, one of the attendees at the congress happens to be a medical student turned actor. This character has a jovial air about them, and they’re regularly derided by the others with more ostensibly appropriate careers in law or political activism, for example. One of these interactions gets heated when another character who’s a lawyer questions the actor's role in the movement and essentially impugns their efficacy as a vessel for change. This speaks to the view of so many in society about how art is little more than something to do for leisure or recreation every now and then. According to this worldview, art couldn't possibly be taken seriously, nor could it have any real impact in the world. In the play, the actor promptly stands up for their art, and in an unexpected turn, the lawyer also comes to realise that art matters and artists have a place in political movements. This made me smile.
For what it's worth, I'm not here to suggest that art is more important than any other pursuit. I don't think it's helpful to pit art against science or medicine or engineering or catering or any other pursuit whose value doesn't need to be justified in (and by) society. I'm merely suggesting that there's room for art alongside every one of the above.
This reminds me of an episode of The Studio, where a TV executive finds himself at an event with a group of distinguished doctors and surgeons, and he makes it his mission to convince them, much to their collective chagrin, that his line of work is just as noble as theirs. The stakes continue to escalate throughout the evening, culminating in the TV executive getting hurt and being wheeled away on a stretcher to receive medical attention in a nearby hospital. One of the doctors seizes the opportunity to remind him that their work is important because one of theirs is imminently going to save his life in the hospital, to which he responds with something along the lines of, “yes, but you know what will be in the hospital room? A screen.” Now, the tension in the scene is heightened for dramatic effect, but the sentiment applies, and it reminds me of the old expression, that science might save your life, but art makes it worth living.
To bring this conversation full circle, I recognise that I’m preaching to the choir here, but I'll say it again, art is just as important as anything else we have in life and society, and it behoves us to recognise this and harness the benefits to improve our lives.
My new album, Hope on the Horizon, is out everywhere now. Not a fan of streaming and want to support my music? You can download a digital version or buy a CD now here. Thank you for listening, spreading the word, and reaching out to share your thoughts. I appreciate it. Have a great week.