THE POETRY OF THE MOMENT

 

“An ordinary coffee place on a dark day. The patrons blending into a blankness. Their faces backlit. Still there was poetry here. Each person a blank sheet of paper to write on. Places for lines of rhymes.” - Oregon Taylor Fields 

You might be good at art or you might not. Either way art can make your life richer. You learn to see things different and more fully. Scenes you pass pull at you, making you pause. Studies have shown art can increase critical thinking, cultural interaction and can even fuel community rebirth.

Against this backdrop though, 55% of school districts have substantially reduced or eliminated funding for the arts. In many cases in favor of STEM programs. In the broader community, art museums have also suffered from reduced attendance and donor funding. While it used to be that art donations topped the focus of community leaders. That has changed with Gen x, Millennials, and Gen Z interest ranking arts as low as 3rd on the list for donations.

Larger global issues such as climate change, technology and the demands of a tech based economy have led to this situation. AI has also impacted the landscape of art in many ways still being understood.

Time only will tell though if this re-ordering has unintended consequences from the lack of arts exposure. It’s important to have the ability to take in and fully appreciate the poetry of the moment. It’s important to being human…