Visual_Arts

The arts are a changing, varied, broad subject of culture, composed of many different creative endeavors and disciplines. This is what many school districts are considering to eradicate. Many California school districts are beginning to eliminate the so called “unimportant” programs to reduce budget deficits. It is my firm belief that this should be stopped for the benefit of ambitious students. Another valid reason for preventing the elimination of the performing arts in schools is that the financial problem isn’t as big as you thought. A benefit of the visual arts programs is that it stimulates creativity and broadens the mind for culture, whether it is drama, a new language, or music. “All students, regardless of gender, cultural background, abilities, aspirations, or interests should have the opportunity to attain high levels of artistic literacy”, Nada Salem Abisamra, author of Nada’s ESL Island, a resource for teachers and students says. If these programs are gone, not many students would be able to accomplish that. In fact, artists, musicians, and architects may have been inspired to start pursuing their subject by these programs. Many schools take this fact into consideration, but a snag that just can’t be ignored is financial budget cuts. Or so you thought! This problem can be easily solved by manipulating the programs to actually raise money. Possible help from a band or orchestra can be achieved by the group holding concerts with tickets at cheap prices. Most likely, parents, relatives, and friends, will buy the tickets in hopes of sharing a memorable experience. Art can be sold at an “art sale”, similar to a bake sale, with all the money going to the school. A final suggestion is a play performed by a drama club or other related clubs to also raise funds. So visual arts programs don’t necessarily have to go because of the economic downturn- they just have to be improved. When you’re creative enough, you can find a way to sustain these programs to cultivate young minds.