Arts For a Cause Serves Southwest Washington

Art is one of the most compelling advocacy tools to raise awareness and move people to take action. Art’s greatest impact is made through thoughtful, socially relevant programming that highlights the crucial aspect that the arts play in shaping our awareness of the world around us, and the role of artists as agents of change. In a world where we need conversations about critical and enduring challenges, Art increasingly offers promise as a powerful advocacy tool. Artists can be useful to communities with limited power or resources, by serving as amplifiers of their voices. Artists can listen to and then write, paint, sing or otherwise craft stories about what these people have to say.

Eric Friedenwald-Fishman provides valuable insights into the psychology behind arts for a cause:

"There is no discipline that nurtures and sparks the cognitive ability to imagine, and unleashes creativity and innovation, more than arts and culture. There is no approach that breaks barriers, connects across cultural differences, and engages our shared values more than arts and culture. There is no investment that connects us to each other, moves us to action, and strengthens our ability to make collective choices more than arts and culture."*

While many of us regard Art as an important part of our cultural lives, it’s time to acknowledge that Artists have power and influence, and we should be encouraging and supporting them as agents of change. Art may well be the most powerful weapon we have available for driving awareness and transforming communities.

Friedenwald-Fishman, Eric, "No art? No social change. No innovation economy.", 26 May, 2011, DOI: 10.48558/ngeg-kq87, Accessed 16 January, 2022