Plight of the arts

[kvnchrist]

Are The Arts (performing, liberal, visual, exc) falling to the wayside as the economies of the world shrink?

I have heard that the first thing public schools cut are the arts, then the sports. Are these cuts effecting the culture of our society, or are they just frivolous pursuits, and instruction on these need to be done by private schools. Are we in jeopardy of society missing something if they are removed from the public school system.

[Ghogiel]

I would say yes, arts get shafted first to a degree. But they don't do anything. They can be worth while to study to a high level, Art, music, dance, but they are notoriously not straight forward to make a career in. Many more people study dance than they end up as dancers, most dancers learnt it extra curricularly. Most professional dancers didn't study it academically as taught in school. Same with music. Art is tricky as it can be useful in several ways, a trade like carpentry or some form of designer, graphic, most of the artists I know actually studied it, so I know that it is not totally useless.

 

I'm not particularity impressed with the state of arts education when I was at school, so even without a recession, there is much to be desired. It was only until after being 18 that I started receiving anything truly useful in formal education in regards to the arts. what I was fed on only left me hungry, my first 2 art teachers who I learnt any sort of technique, approach or gained inspiration from were relatives not art teachers. I believe now with the internet it would be much easier to find suitable education seminars and focus groups that just wouldn't have been possible for a younger student to be exposed to. In general broad education, the curriculum used to basically suck, I don't have much experience at the lower education levels as I haven't been involved with it enough to know how it has changed.

 

Not totally related, but it is a perspective somewhat to do with missing something if art is neglected.

Edited September 18, 2011 by Ghogiel

[HeyYou]

Where I live, sports has a higher priority than just about anything else.... The teachers teach to the standardized tests. As budgets here is getting REALLY tight...... art/music programs are the first to go, closely followed by what I consider "useful skills" classes. They used to call it 'home economics'.... covered things like doing a household budget, balancing your checkbook, you know, things that you will actually NEED and USE when you enter the workforce, and set up your own household. The big "three" sports, football (american), baseball, and basketball, are the very LAST things that get cut..... talk about mixed up priorities.....

 

But, yes, in the current economic times, anything related to the arts, be it studios, museums, whathaveyou, takes a beating. Most are at the very least government funded, and when crunch time comes, those are some of the first areas to take a hit. Closely followed by police, and fire departments.....

[SpellAndShield]

Arts are generally a waste of time practically speaking and reflects my experience as well.

[kvnchrist]

art/music programs are the first to go, closely followed by what I consider "useful skills" classes. They used to call it 'home economics'.... covered things like doing a household budget, balancing your checkbook, you know, things that you will actually NEED and USE when you enter the workforce, and set up your own household

 

 

That sounds like the bureaucracy. They loose their funding so they remove instruction on caring for your own funding. Tell me that's a good idea. :laugh:

[Aurielius]

One could make the case that the Arts are not essential for getting a job or economic well being of a school district but that is seeing the world in black and white where as the Arts are what provides the color to existence. Ars longa, vita brevis. -"Art is long, life is short." courtesy of a translation by Horace of Hippocrates ( who by coincidence was one of the progenitors of early science). A good Rembrandt will be appreciated long after our paltry existence is forgotten. The Arts are the expression of a culture, a perfect snapshot so to speak.

[marharth]

Yes.

 

As I said in other topic, I think the system needs to be drastically changed before art classes can work correctly. Art has a lot to do with free thinking and the school system wants you to have a predetermined answer that can be written on a multiple choice test.

[JimboUK]

Art is a luxury, not a necessity, when times are tough you get rid of the luxuries first. If were up to me it wouldn't get a penny of taxpayers money at any time, art was created before some bright spark decided the taxpayer should foot the bill and it could be again.

[Balagor]

If art is a luxury, I fail to see why we haven´t got any more artists today in this our very welthy and luxury world. It seems to me that we had more of them in the dark middleages, with povertry and only luxury for the wealthy. Yet many artists spawn from all kinds of inviroments.

[Aurielius]

If art is a luxury, I fail to see why we haven´t got any more artists today in this our very welthy and luxury world. It seems to me that we had more of them in the dark middleages, with povertry and only luxury for the wealthy. Yet many artists spawn from all kinds of inviroments.

I find it amusing old friend that my only ally in this debate is you and in most cases we are worlds apart in perceptions but evidently not in the value of art. :thumbsup:

The world would be truly a drab place without artists or their art, some of you should go to good museum more often and spend the day soaking in what is there.