Why Arts?

We often assume that everyone agrees the arts belong at the centre of our lives and our schools. For those of us who live in what I call the “arts bucket,” this feels like common sense. Of course the arts matter. Of course creativity is vital. It doesn’t even need to be said. And yet, we only need to look at the recent Indigenous referendum to remember how fragile “common sense” can be. What seemed like a no-brainer within some circles turned into a national “no.”

The same is true for the arts. Among friends and colleagues, we nod in agreement that creativity needs to be protected, prioritised, and cultivated. But beyond these circles, the assumption is not shared. When I tell people my Master’s was in Creativity and my PhD in Aesthetic Theory, most nod and immediately tell me a story: of when creativity was severed, or when it was enriched. Almost everyone remembers the art teacher who tore up their work and left them scarred, or the choir director who silenced their voice. Others tell of how craft, song, or painting helped them survive illness or grief.

The stories remind us: creativity is not optional. It is central to how we endure, how we connect, how we become. And yet its centrality needs to be voiced, defended, fought for — because what feels obvious to some can be denied by others.

Until next time,

Mon x