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Arts should be integrated in our schools’ from a young age​ as a discipline for critical and creative thinking led by trained arts teachers. But the opportunity to develop this kind of education has just reduced with plans to cut the number of tertiary arts courses eligible for student loans from 70 to just 13.
Read: Arts education cuts leave sector fuming
The decision to have the choice of arts & creative pursuits taken away as a potential career path, is sending this country down a very limited and uninspiring path. Have we not learned lessons from ​arts curriculum being taken away in the US and UK? Funnily enough, these programs have been re-instated due to the drop-out rate in schools, depression, lack of numeracy and literacy. We revere schools in Finland, who allow children to be creative, to learn through playful experiences – but do we pay heed? We use our elite actors, musicians, theatre and dance companies to represent Australia when selling ourselves to the world, but do we respect them? The answer is a resounding ‘No’ on all accounts.
Arts pursuits such as art, drama, dance and music allow for people to think outside the ‘box’ and to contemplate the ‘what ifs’ of possibility. They help scientists to re-imagine the world and doctors to focus on the subtle nuances of a patient,a but most of all, the arts allow people expression, relaxation and innovation.
So why should the government decide these subjects are not worthy as a career path?
I have sustained an income from working in the arts my whole life, as an artist, educator and producer. The multi-tasking skills that I have learned through the arts have helped me be self-employed, often working at three or four schools during a week as well as performing. This has led me to become excellent at time management, able to manage various groups of people, communicate effectively and create innovative new programs.
Arts skills are applied in a huge range of ways. Working in a theatre company, we created many experiences for schools and communities, including a very successful literacy program. Designers are often hired for social venues, performers to MC corporate events, singers for weddings… every community & cultural event has performances of some kind.
Arts programs are used to enhance other areas of community; dance programs for fitness (for our ever growing obesity epidemic), or for dementia patients, drama to help disengaged teens, the incarcerated or to develop literacy, visual arts for seniors suffering depression or loneliness; music for dementia. There have been times when Australia has led the world in these arts for health activities. Our very successful Captain Starlight program for children in hospital is a model that is currently being highlighted in the UK.
Take a good look around you’ll see how the ​arts are indeed everywhere. Now take it all away. That is the reality of cutting these courses across Australia.
Yes, there have been companies that have abused the system. Well go after them – fine them, shut down their business. They are not doing a legitimate job. But to the thousands of students studying various courses and the providers that are giving training to them, don’t cut them off. Don’t make them less worthy because you can’t see how their job doesn’t compare to yours. Support them and build this country to be creative and innovative as it once was.
