During every year in school I have had to take and study some type of art. Every year in elementary school, my class would attend weekly art classes where we would draw, paint, sculpt things with our hands, and learn about types of art and artist throughout history. I would also have to attend a weekly music class where my class would sing, learn to play different instruments, and learn about music notes. In middle school, I had to be in either choir or band or take an art class. In high school, all students were required to take 2 art type classes in order to graduate. The same is true in college; art is part of the core curriculum. I have always wondered what the reasoning behind all of these art classes was. I used to think that students were made to take art and music classes in elementary school so that they could work on and fine-tune their abilities. It is true that it is much easier to learn and remember things at a younger age. However, this would not explain why art is required beyond elementary level. What would be the reasoning behind the continued art requirement throughout the rest of years in school? I believe that we study art and other creative things for more of a reason than the fact that it is easiest to learn as a child. I believe that studying art allows all of us to learn to become more responsive and creative everything in life. More than just in how well we can draw, paint, sculpt, or perform on stage.
Participating in any type of art allows individuals to be expressive and creative. It can be used as a way to express feelings that a person does not know how to put into words. Art can be a safe and harmless form of expression. It can be an outlet for some people who have a lot of pent-up hatred or aggression. For others, art is a form of relaxation and allows them to become calmer and feel better by simply singing, painting, or performing.
Art allows people to be creative and learn to be creative in all aspects of life, not just to be able paint, sing, or act.