So the last few days have been fairly eventful. The Americans for the Arts held their annual conference in San Diego, so I decided to trot on down to see what was up. It's something that I'm really on the fringe of, because I work in film, and they are working in visual art, theater, music, dance, etc. But still, film is very much an art form. Just because it is popular doesn't preclude it from being artful. I could get on a big soapbox at this point, but I won't.
Anyway, one of the things I took away from the conference is the idea that we as a culture really need to support ALL the arts, not just one. They all work in conjunction with one another, and they are all equally important. The other thing is that we need to do whatever we can to make sure our children get an education in the arts. In some sense, it's what makes them human and connects them with their community. When they participate in the arts, they gain skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and self-esteem, and it connects them to their community and gives them a sense of culture and compassion for their world. What kid doesn't need that? We also as a culture need to put a premium value on creativity and give people the freedom to experiment with expression. It is valuable, and we need it to stick around for a long long time. Whoops, I think I just got on the soapbox.
Anyway, even Mayor Jerry Sanders stopped by to give everyone a pep talk, as well as remind everyone that June is Craft Beer Month in San Diego, so they were expected to do their part. I had no problem complying with his request. Anyway, here's a picture of ol' Jerry, as well as some dancers that gave a very fun performance.
Anyway, one of the things I took away from the conference is the idea that we as a culture really need to support ALL the arts, not just one. They all work in conjunction with one another, and they are all equally important. The other thing is that we need to do whatever we can to make sure our children get an education in the arts. In some sense, it's what makes them human and connects them with their community. When they participate in the arts, they gain skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and self-esteem, and it connects them to their community and gives them a sense of culture and compassion for their world. What kid doesn't need that? We also as a culture need to put a premium value on creativity and give people the freedom to experiment with expression. It is valuable, and we need it to stick around for a long long time. Whoops, I think I just got on the soapbox.
Anyway, even Mayor Jerry Sanders stopped by to give everyone a pep talk, as well as remind everyone that June is Craft Beer Month in San Diego, so they were expected to do their part. I had no problem complying with his request. Anyway, here's a picture of ol' Jerry, as well as some dancers that gave a very fun performance.
RSS Feed
