The term “arts” is usually used to describe any form of artistic expression, whether it be drawing, painting, music, film, sculpture, literature, dance, pottery, architecture, theatre, and visual arts. Although the arts are commonly grouped together, they really are separate pursuits with different focuses, goals, styles, techniques, and forms. Art is a broad spectrum of human activities including creativity, physical strength, emotion, aesthetic sense, or cognitive ability to understand, appreciate, and utilize the physical world around us. The arts include many aspects of learning and development such as knowledge creation, social interaction, the process of learning and creation, interpersonal relationships, imaginative play, physical movement, visual art, and collective expression.
An appreciation of the vastness of the arts is an absolute must for anyone who seeks to live a full life. Arts education is essential in any educational program, from preschool up through adult development seminars and workshops. The importance of arts education should not be underestimated, as it creates healthy individuals who can use their creative abilities to enrich their lives. In fact, some of the most cutting-edge innovations in technology were started in schools, such as those that make computer games and digital gadgets.
The benefits of the arts extend far beyond the classroom, however. They provide an escape from the stresses of daily life and allow people to take time out to rediscover themselves in a quiet and comfortable place. This helps people to relieve stress, reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, improve their moods, develop skills, and gain new understanding of themselves and others. In the business world, arts and crafts have been proven to increase productivity and offer employees a greater sense of job satisfaction. In fact, some companies are paying people to take time out of work for personal enjoyment of the arts.
