October 26, 2019

Importance of art in society

By Maria W. Slane

Yes, you’ve asked yourself that question a lot of times but you can’t come up with a concrete answer or a conclusion about what the importance of art is in society.

You know that art is fundamental to the culture of a society, and maybe you can discuss this with someone, but you need to have more precise arguments than you have, because as an artist the ideas you see are more sensitive and sentimental than precise.

Maybe you are a student of this profession and you want to know how you can live from art today, and since you don’t know much about art as a profession, you doubt if this is the career for you.

But you know what?

Living from art today is totally possible and feasible, thanks to globalization and tools like the Internet, which helps you promote yourself as an artist and sell your art online. So if you want to live from art or generate income from it, you must first be aware and sure of its importance in society.

The effect of art on people

Humans are by nature artists, therefore, the origin of art begins with the origin of humanity. From cave painting to the last contemporary piece created, art has served as a medium, form and source of expression.

It is more than talked about and studied that messages have an impact, whether in a positive or negative way. What is expressed produces an effect in the receiver, so under this concept, the importance of art is clear because of its quality as a channel and as a transmitter.

However, beyond being a transmitter of messages or channel of expression, art, as a creative activity, has a liberating, healing, and personal development effect. Moreover, art raises awareness, and artists, being sensitive beings, create a better society.

Why should you be aware of the Importance of Art in Society?

There are two main reasons why you have to be clear about the importance of art if you want to live from it.

First, because if you are not aware of the importance of your art, and how useful it can be to society, no one else will.

And, secondly, because if you don’t know what makes your art relevant, you won’t be able to make society do it either, and, at the end of the day, it’s the members of society who are going to generate income for you through your creations, aren’t they?

Being clear about the contribution and benefits your art provides to society will help you sell and create a brand that sets you apart from the rest, and not only that, but it will also help in one way or another to improve the lives of the people who come into contact with your work.

What is the importance of art in society?

ART AS THERAPY

Art is a form of expression, and as such has a liberating and de-stressing effect on those who practice and or enjoy it. This is why it has been used in psychology for years as therapy to improve, heal and put aside any mental illness or disorder a person may be going through, with the help of artistic elements or forms of art creation.

Art therapy is a healing tool that was formalized onwards. At that time, mental health professionals began to notice that some patients with mental disorders were expressing themselves through painting or other art forms. This sparked the interest of researchers in the area and led to the strategy of using art as a form of therapy when a verbal method was not efficient.

Art as therapy is a three-channel technique: the therapist, the client or patient, and art. However, not everything is so absolute, since it is not necessary to go through the consultation of a psychologist or psychiatrist to obtain the healing results of the creative process in which art manifests itself.

It is also applied with individuals suffering from physical diseases such as cancer, with people diagnosed with autism, dementia or alzheimer’s, depression, schizophrenia or other psychological disorders, with children with school delays, attention problems or other series of difficulties that many infants present nowadays, among others.

Because it does not require a skill, or the impeccable handling of the techniques of art that one wishes to practice in order to expel emotions, Art Therapy can be used by any person who wishes to do so. With this method, individuals manage to overcome or resolve psychological conflicts, as well as improve social and communication skills, since art represents another means of communication.

All this because the person who practices it does so in a pleasant, non-invasive, free environment and uses their mind in a way that allows them to be focused on the present moment, letting their thoughts and creativity flow. Art Therapy is also a tool used for personal development, to relieve day-to-day tensions and to promote self-knowledge.

For the same reason, it is not necessary to suffer from a psychological disorder or trauma to use this technique of expression through art. Just as art therapy is not used in a specific location, it is also formulated through different artistic manifestations (theatre, dance, painting, music, writing, collage, sculpture).

Whoever applies it has the freedom to express that which distresses him, causes him fear, afflicts him, or causes frustration, letting out with his creativity those emotions that he did not know how to express in a conventional way.