Download Moncton Art Show and the Importance of Arts within Schools This

Moncton Art Show and the Importance of Arts within Schools
This week is the opening of the Moncton Art Show. Displaying the art of students from
all schools within the Greater Moncton Area, the Art Show exists to showcase the talents of local youth
who do not normally get recognition from their peers. The show is a reminder to the world of the
importance of art programs within schools, the classes that tend to get cut first when budgets run tight.
Art classes are frequently seen as the courses you would take for an easy pass, which is why so
many lower level art classes are filled with students who couldn’t care less about the history of cubism
or which paper is ideal for charcoal sketches. What many students and teachers fail to realize that art
classes dramatically increase one’s capability for creative problem solving and stress management, as
well as neuroplasticity and brain connectivity.
Pursuing art as a career requires drive, motivation, patience and creativity, yet many people see
artistry as a cop-out to a “real” career. Anyone planning on taking fine arts in university is more than
used to being asked, “what can you do with an arts degree?” or “good luck finding a job in THAT field”
by adults who you haven’t known for more than five minutes. However, these people fail to realise that
due to the intense push for students to pursue degrees in the STEM, these fields are greatly
oversaturated and leave many students jobless after they graduate.
When I planned on doing biomedical sciences, I was never questioned about my life plans. If I
was ever asked, “I don’t know what I want to do with my degree” was an acceptable answer to most
question. Now that I am pursuing a degree in art history, plan on taking art classes and have a general
career plan mapped out, I am frequently bombarded with criticism, being told that art is a cop-out for
people who don’t know what they want to do.
While many art classes lack the popularity that science or math classes tend to have, to cut
them would be detrimental to a surprisingly large number of students. The lack of PowerPoints and note
taking does not mean there is a lack of active learning, and it is extremely necessary that students who
plan on attending art school receive proper formal training within their school. Art can relax students
who are normally highly active within a traditional classroom setting, increasing mental wellness as
effectively as a meditation session. You can support your fellow students currently involved in the art
program by visiting the Moncton Art Show in Moncton city hall.