Support the Arts

The pandemic taught us many things. Some lessons were hopeful, some difficult, and some are still being debated. But here’s one thing I noticed almost immediately: when everything else shut down, we didn’t turn away from the arts. We ran straight toward them.

When the world felt uncertain and heavy, what did we do? We streamed movies and series. We shared funny videos. We watched musicians perform from their living rooms. We read books we’d been meaning to pick up for years. Some of us pulled out paintbrushes, knitting needles, sketch pads, woodworking tools, or baking pans. We created. We consumed creativity. We connected through it.

The arts touch our lives every single day, often in ways we barely notice. Love listening to music on your commute? That’s the arts. Enjoy expressing yourself through fashion? The arts again. Appreciate handmade goods, beautifully prepared food, or thoughtful design? All rooted in creativity. Radio, television, movies, plays, musicals, symphonies, concerts, dance, stand-up comedy — every one of these experiences exists because of artistic expression. The arts were not an afterthought. They were a lifeline.  And the truth is, they always are, we just don’t always notice.

Think about your average day. You wake up to music on your phone. You scroll through beautifully designed apps. You put on clothes someone imagined and designed. You drive a vehicle shaped not just for function, but for style. You play video games that evolved from Pong and Frogger into immersive worlds like Minecraft and Call of Duty. That’s the arts. You work in a building that an architect first sketched as an idea. That’s also the arts. Love your favorite sports team’s logo and colors? The arts.  Admire a cool coffee mug, a handmade quilt, a beautifully plated meal at a restaurant? The arts, the arts, the arts.

Imagine a world where every house looked the same. Every car was identical. Every outfit came in one cut and one color. No murals. No theater. No music drifting out of car windows. No stories to pass down. It sounds less like real life and more like the opening chapter of a dystopian novel.

Creativity is not fluff. It’s not extra. It’s not “nice if we can afford it.”  It is woven into innovation, problem-solving, empathy, and human connection. The arts teach us how to imagine something better and then build it. The arts shape our sports teams’ logos and uniforms, the buildings we gather in, the packaging we open, and the spaces we live and work in. From jewelry and landscaping to furniture, greeting cards, and city planning, artistic creativity quietly influences nearly everything we experience. They help us imagine what could be, not just accept what is.

So, the next time you wonder how to make your community a better place, consider supporting the arts in ways both big and small. Go see a show. Visit a gallery. Buy the book. Applaud loudly. Thank the musicians. Tip the performers. Encourage the kids in band, choir, and art class. Support your local theater. Speak up for arts education. Because here’s the beautiful irony: we don’t support the arts out of charity. We support them because they support us — every single day.