essay on art and creativity

Essay on Art And Creativity

Students are often asked to write an essay on Art And Creativity in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Art And Creativity

Understanding art and creativity.

Art and creativity are like two best friends. They always stay together. Art is a way of expressing feelings, thoughts, and ideas. It can be a drawing, a painting, a song, or a dance. Creativity is the ability to think of new and unique ideas.

The Connection Between Art and Creativity

Art and creativity are deeply connected. To make art, you need creativity. Creativity helps to imagine something new and different. It helps to create art that is unique and special. Without creativity, art would be boring and the same.

The Importance of Art and Creativity

Art and creativity are very important. They help us to express our feelings and thoughts. They also help us to understand the world around us. Art and creativity can make us happy and help us to relax.

Encouraging Art and Creativity

We should encourage art and creativity. We can do this by drawing, painting, singing, or dancing. We can also do this by thinking of new and unique ideas. This will help us to be more creative and make better art.

250 Words Essay on Art And Creativity

Art is a way of expressing feelings, thoughts, and observations. It is a broad field that includes painting, sculpture, dance, music, and many other forms. Creativity, on the other hand, is the ability to make new things or think of new ideas. It is the fuel that drives art.

Art and creativity are closely linked. To create art, you need to use your creativity. You have to think of new ways to express your ideas. This could be through a painting, a dance, or a song. Creativity helps artists to come up with unique and original pieces of art.

Why Art and Creativity Are Important

Art and creativity are important for several reasons. First, they allow us to express ourselves. Through art, we can share our feelings and thoughts with others. Second, art and creativity can make us feel good. When we create something, we feel proud and accomplished. Finally, art and creativity can help us see the world in new and different ways. They encourage us to think outside the box and to be open-minded.

In conclusion, art and creativity are two sides of the same coin. You can’t have art without creativity, and creativity is often expressed through art. They are both important for self-expression, personal satisfaction, and broadening our view of the world. So, let’s embrace art and creativity and see where they take us!

500 Words Essay on Art And Creativity

Art is a way of expressing feelings, ideas, and imaginations. It is a form of human expression that can take many different forms. These forms can be painting, sculpture, music, dance, theatre, and many more. Creativity, on the other hand, is the act of making new connections between old ideas. It’s about thinking outside the box and coming up with new ways to solve problems.

The Connection between Art and Creativity

Art and creativity are closely linked. Art is a product of creative minds. Artists use their creativity to come up with new ideas and to express these ideas in unique ways. For example, a painter might use his or her creativity to decide what colors to use, what shapes to draw, and how to arrange everything on the canvas. This process involves a lot of decision-making and problem-solving, which are key aspects of creativity.

Importance of Art and Creativity

Art and creativity are important for many reasons. First, they allow us to express ourselves and to communicate with others. Through art, we can share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with the world. This can help us to understand ourselves better and to connect with others on a deeper level.

Creativity is also important because it helps us to think in new ways. It encourages us to be curious, to ask questions, and to explore different possibilities. This can be very useful in many areas of life, including school, work, and personal relationships.

There are many ways to encourage art and creativity. One way is to provide opportunities for creative expression. This could be through art classes, music lessons, or drama clubs. It could also be through less structured activities, like free drawing time or creative writing exercises.

Another way to encourage creativity is to provide a supportive environment. This means giving positive feedback, encouraging new ideas, and being open to different ways of doing things. It also means providing the necessary tools and resources, like art supplies, musical instruments, and books.

In conclusion, art and creativity are closely linked and both are important for personal and societal growth. They allow us to express ourselves, to think in new ways, and to connect with others. By encouraging art and creativity, we can help to foster a more imaginative, innovative, and connected world.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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How Art Makes Us More Human: Why Being Creative is So Important in Life

Art is an important part of life, as it helps us to explore our creativity and express ourselves in unique ways. Art is more than just a form of expression - it’s a way of understanding the world and our place in it. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the psychological, social, and cognitive benefits of creating art and how it can bring joy and purpose to our lives.

What is art?

Art is a form of expression that values creativity and self-expression. It can take many forms, from paintings and sculptures to photography and even digital art. Art has the power to move us, to make us feel something, and to tell stories. Art can be used as a way of connecting with ourselves and with each other, and its power lies in its ability to inspire, create joy, and provoke thought. Art is an expression of the human experience, and its value lies in its ability to bring people together.

The connection between art and emotion

The value of art lies in its ability to evoke emotion. Whether you’re looking at a painting, watching a performance, or listening to music, art allows us to experience a range of emotions from joy to sorrow and everything in between. Art can help us make sense of our own emotions and gain a better understanding of how other people are feeling. It can even bring us closer together as it enables us to feel connected with the artist, even if we have never met them. When we interact with art, it can often spark a dialogue, creating a feeling of understanding and empathy within us.

One way in which art can be especially powerful is when it reflects our personal experiences and values. By connecting with a piece of art that speaks to our values, we can often feel a strong emotional connection with it, enabling us to recognize ourselves in the work and appreciate its beauty and meaning.

The link between art and mental health

Art can be an incredibly powerful tool in helping us to manage our mental health and well-being. Studies have found that art can reduce stress, increase self-esteem, and improve our ability to cope with difficult emotions. Art provides a safe space for us to express our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to connect with ourselves on a deeper level.

One of the main ways that art benefits mental health is through its ability to help us process and make sense of our emotions. Art enables us to externalize our inner struggles, allowing us to make sense of them in a new way. By engaging in creative activities, we can gain insight into our own feelings, giving us the opportunity to recognize patterns and reflect on them in a non-judgmental manner. This can help us to gain a better understanding of our emotions and allow us to find healthier ways of managing them.

Art can also help to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Studies have found that engaging in creative activities such as painting, drawing, or sculpting can reduce symptoms of both depression and anxiety. It also can increase positive moods and overall life satisfaction. In addition, engaging in art can give us a sense of control over our lives, providing us with the opportunity to express ourselves without fear of judgment.

Finally, creating art can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment, helping us to feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Art gives us a way to channel our energy into something meaningful, allowing us to have a tangible outcome at the end of our creative journey. The act of creation itself can be incredibly empowering, giving us the confidence to take on new challenges and set goals for ourselves.

Overall, engaging in art has been proven to have a positive impact on mental health. Through its ability to help us process emotions, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and provide us with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, art has the power to truly transform our lives.

The benefits of creating art

Creating art can be an immensely rewarding experience that has both psychological and physical benefits. It can provide a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and accomplishment. Art can also help reduce stress, build self-confidence, and improve problem solving skills.

Art can be used to express feelings and emotions, helping to better understand and cope with difficult experiences. It can also be used to relieve anxiety, improve mental health, and enhance positive self-image. Additionally, engaging in creative activities encourages creative thinking, which can foster innovation and creativity in other areas of life.

Creating art can also improve physical well-being. It has been linked to reducing chronic pain and boosting the immune system. It can also help with motor coordination, providing relief for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Furthermore, it can help with hand-eye coordination, increasing dexterity and making everyday tasks easier.

Finally, creating art is a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. It can provide an outlet for pent-up emotions and help to restore a sense of balance and wellbeing. Even if your work is not immediately appreciated, it’s important to remember that art is subjective and it should be created for yourself, not for the approval of others.

The power of art in storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool for communication, and art is an important part of this process. Through art, we can express ourselves in ways that words alone cannot do justice to. Art allows us to show the emotion behind our stories, to add nuance and depth to our tales, and to create visuals that can leave a lasting impression.

Stories told through art have a special power. Whether it's through painting, drawing, sculpture, or even film, art has the potential to bring our stories to life in a way that words simply cannot do. With art, we can bring our characters and stories to life in vivid detail, making them more vivid and alive than if we were to tell the story with just words. We can also add layers of symbolism and meaning to our stories which can make them more meaningful and powerful.

Art has been used as a storytelling device for thousands of years. Ancient cultures used drawings and sculptures to tell their stories, and today, the tradition continues with all forms of visual arts. From street art to museum installations, art is used to tell stories of cultures, histories, beliefs, and emotions. By using art to tell stories, we can move people emotionally and capture their attention in a unique way.

In today's world, where we are bombarded with information from all sides, it can be hard to stand out. Art gives us the chance to do that in a powerful way. By creating art, we can tell stories that resonate with people, inspiring them and showing them something new. The power of storytelling through art is immense and should not be underestimated.

The importance of art in education

Art plays an important role in education, as it encourages creative thinking and provides a platform for students to express their feelings and ideas. It can also be used as a form of communication, allowing students to interpret and create meaning from what they observe. Additionally, the visual representation of art helps children to develop skills such as analyzing information, forming arguments, and making connections.

In the classroom, art can help to introduce new concepts, convey complex topics, and build relationships between students. By incorporating art into lesson plans, teachers are able to engage students in learning and make the material more interesting. Art also helps students to identify patterns and practice critical thinking skills by exploring how elements interact to create a bigger picture.

Furthermore, art allows for students to practice collaboration, problem-solving, and social interaction. Through group projects, students can work together to plan, organize, and execute a project from start to finish. This helps to teach kids essential teamwork skills while also giving them the opportunity to explore their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Overall, art is an integral part of education that helps students develop important skills and encourages creative expression. It is an important tool for teaching and can be used in various ways to make learning more engaging and meaningful.

The role of art in social change

The power of art in creating social change is undeniable. It has been used throughout history as a tool to inspire, educate, and challenge the status quo. Art can be used to bring attention to injustices, advocate for different perspectives, and to create positive cultural shifts.

One example of how art has been used to inspire social change is through protest art. This type of art is often seen at protests and marches, or used to create powerful visuals for political campaigns. Protest art can be anything from signs and banners to sculptures, graffiti, or public installations. It can also take the form of music, film, theater, and literature. By combining art and activism, people are able to communicate their message in an effective way that captures the attention of the public.

Another example of how art can be used to create social change is through digital media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. These platforms allow anyone with an internet connection to share their creative works and connect with other like-minded individuals. Art has been used on these platforms to raise awareness about important issues, tell stories that inspire change, and even challenge oppressive systems.

Finally, art can be used to help those who are oppressed find strength and resilience. Art provides a platform for those who are marginalized to tell their stories and express their experiences in a safe space. Through art, people are able to connect with each other and find solidarity in the face of adversity.

Art plays an important role in social change and is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to create positive impact in the world. Whether it’s used to create powerful visuals for a protest or to tell stories that inspire action, art has the power to bring people together and spark meaningful conversations about important topics.

Art is essential for all our lives

No matter who you are or where you come from, art plays a vital role in helping us make sense of our lives and the world around us. Art helps us to express our emotions, to communicate our thoughts and feelings, and to explore the depths of our imaginations. By engaging with art, we can discover more about ourselves and the world around us, and cultivate empathy and understanding.

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2 commentaires

Hello! I really liked your article! You can be creative not only by making paintings, but you can also lead social networks in any manifestation and be an inspiration to other people. The most important manifestation of your creativity in social networks is to create content. Shoot videos, take photos, etc. To do this, I can recommend this article for the further development of your content and social networks.

Bianca Vinther

• Sep 20, 2021

Creativity in art: the ultimate overview

Understanding the foundation of your art and waking up your inner artist.

What does creativity mean to you?

Listen to a short audio version of this blog post here .

Creativity is the driving force of all artistic processes. Understanding what it means to be creative is fundamental to your relationship with yourself and your art-making process . A solid grasp of this multifaceted concept known as creativity in the visual arts can positively impact your work and help you create art that you love.

In this post, I’ll share with you my most essential knowledge of creativity in art, including:

My definition of creativity in general and of artistic creativity in particular,

A short explanation of the relationship between creativity and transformation, and

A set of personal reflections on the role of creativity in art.

I wish you a pleasant reading, and I look forward to hearing from you!

What is creativity in general?

Creativity is a seed , an inborn and imperishable one, which can spread in manifold ways and can grow into extraordinary things. It is like the tree inside the acorn – it makes everything possible. Literally everything.

“ If you cut the acorn open, you won’t see a giant oak tree, but you know it is there .” (Wayne Dyer)

Creativity is your ability to make innovative connections and free associations that others don’t the way you do, and to reinvent reality, each time anew.

Creativity is also a means by which you can co-create reality — you and life itself working in tandem. I say co-create because you’re not alone on planet Earth, but you’re an important member of a global community of artists who are both creators in their own right and co-creators of a different world.

One of the things I like most about creativity is that it challenges conformism and the conventional perception of empirical reality. It is like a versatile lens that enables you to see close up, as well as far beyond appearances and the limits of your physical vision.

Creativity has tremendous power: it can lift you out of contingency and arbitrariness, and propel you towards meaningful action . Consider it a way to make an infinite number of unique contributions to the ever-expanding Universe.

Furthermore, for every visual artist including you, creativity is a wellspring of possibilities that can fuel your artistic fire. Trust it and follow its lead!

Creativity usually works its way forward in small, sometimes imperceptible steps, but it can also occur in spurts or so-called “quantum leaps” on occasion. In any case, there’s no user manual, no blueprint, and no conventional pattern.

“ What mystery pervades a well! ” (Emily Dickinson)

Can creativity be lost and found again?

Once in a while, it feels like your creativity has vanished. Why is that so? Because creativity is a fluctuating capacity of the brain. That is to say, your capacity to create is determined by your physical and mental condition, which is subject to daily influences, such as social, interpersonal, and emotional dynamics, to mention a few. So, yeah, creativity might sometimes feel lost, and you might even hit artist block . This is completely normal and undeniably human.

Without a doubt, you’re not constantly at the peak of your creative potential, nor are you always in a creative mood (nobody is, in fact), but creativity is always there. Creativity is part of everyday existence. It swings, but never goes away. It lies dormant until you act on it . Remember the acorn inside the oak tree?

Creativity has always filled me with a sense of wonder, purpose and adventure. I adore the combination of meaningfulness and surprise, as well as the joyful sense of awe that the gift of creativity awakens in me. I’m simply fascinated by the creative spark that each of us has!

Notice how creativity pulls you out of the ordinary and off the beaten track. Observe how it shakes your fears and breaks past your barriers, enfolding you like a wave or even enveloping you like a tsunami.

Creativity has the power to set you free.

What is creativity in art?

I associate creativity in the visual arts, in short, creativity in art or artistic creativity, with the acquired ability to see like an artist and express oneself differently.

What does it mean to see like an artist?

Seeing like an artist is a way of seeing – an individual and unique one – much like your entire Self. It is seeing the world from a personal angle that only you have. It is also changing ordinary things into extra-ordinary hybrids , exploring new, alternative ways, and transforming empirical reality via close observation and regular practice.

Read more about observation in art here and explore the difference between looking, observing, and seeing like an artist right here .

Seeing like an artist means shifting your vision from conformity to unconventionality. Yet it is also noticing things you’ve never noticed before, or seeing beyond the limitations of your regular vision, like the mouse in Torben Kuhlmann's children's book Armstrong .

Armstrong tells the remarkable story of a little ingenious rodent with enormous imagination and courage (the first living creature to ever land on the Moon prior to the Apollo 11 Mission!). The astute mouse provides ground-breaking evidence to his fellow mice: the moon is a huge stone sphere. A huge sphere made of stone? No way, that can’t be! The mice declare: the moon is one huge slice of cheese!

Who’s right and who’s wrong? The mice see what they have been taught to see, whereas the artist sees something else, in this case, ultimate reality. The view of his fellow mice is confined to their knowledge and daily habits. The artist’s singular vision goes beyond; it pushes the bounds of conventional perspective and explores uncharted territory.

***Find here the secret behind seeing like an artist , and test here 8 highly effective strategies that will help you see like an artist. ***

How to express yourself differently

Unlearn your usual ways of making art (whatever they may be), wander off the beaten road, and explore alternative paths for your art. Observe relentlessly and never give up. And above all, trust your creative Self.

You've always made marks with brushes? Instead, try some wooden sticks. You've always enjoyed painting from nature? Then take a more abstract approach: focus on your marks, think and create without an end in mind, use less materials and tools, and allow yourself to be surprised.

Find out more about how to be a process-oriented artist right here . Have you tried doodle paint before? Here 's my daily practice in 3 steps to unlock your artistic creativity. Are you too much in your head? Then find out here how to create art with your heart in 5 easy steps.

Creativity thrives under constraints, and it doesn’t need a road map. The truth is that no map exists. You must decide to abandon the comfortable, conventional path. Are you terrified of making this choice? Then remind yourself that you can’t live your life without making decisions. Make creativity your best ally, and artist block will no longer bother you.

Creativity and transformation

Every artistic process involves transformation. Nevertheless, there can be no transformation without creativity, which is a prerequisite for any art-making process . The more you train your creativity, the better you'll get at making art, regardless of the path you take from artwork conception to completion (which, by the way, doesn’t always follow a straight line).

Do you believe that regular shifts in perspective will be impossible or unnecessary? Then you're in for a rude awakening: routine kills creativity. Because there's no safe blueprint to which creativity will ever adhere, and no user manual, which transformation will ever follow.

Creativity is unconventional, anti-conformist, anti-canonical, unpredictable, and truly liberating. That's the beauty of it. It is pure energy in motion, dynamic and versatile, intentional and purposeful. It has no limits, although it is not constantly at its peak. Therefore, it requires from you full commitment and a steady practice .

Ask yourself this question: are you all in ? Give yourself an honest answer and then proceed.

What is transformation in art?

Transformation is a reality shift , a process of transition from empirical reality to an individual reality. It is an act of turning the mundane and ordinary into something different.

At this place of mystery and wonders, where empirical and personal reality meet and yet never settle, the threads of creativity and art become entwined, and you can realise your full potential as an artist. It is in this place that you can truly explore the depths of art, and create something unique. Thus, transformation is a powerful process of transfiguration of the commonplace .

Now, think of René Magritte’s Key to Dreams . This painting evokes, essentially, the mystery of transformation and transfiguration of the commonplace: seemingly unrelated objects and words that conjure memories or feelings from the past, are combined in unfamiliar and unexpected ways. A shoe is associated with the word moon, a hat with the word snow, and so on. Immediate reality turns into a personal, one-of-a-kind world and vice versa, becoming one .

In fact, reality is self-expression, and your perception is reality . You can read here more about perception as reality in the visual arts .

What is the role of creativity in art and life?

When life appears to be too complicated, disrupted, or messy, I like to visualise it on two axes: horizontal and vertical. Daily chores, duties, and trivialities, in short, everything I must do , are represented as points with numerical values along the horizontal axis. Contrary to what I must do, I see everything I love doing , which I can’t quantify but can experience qualitatively, on the vertical axis (like art, spirituality, compassion, kindness, and love).

My favourite, as you might assume, is the vertical axis, because it is on this bold, dynamic one that I experience creativity in art and action. To borrow a phrase from the amazing American architect Richard Backminster Fuller,

“ Vertical is to live — horizontal is to die ”.

Creativity may offer your life a sense of verticality because it has the power to lift you above the ordinary and must-do, and to propel you into the love-do , which, you guessed it, is your creative process!

Creativity helps you disrupt conventions, forge new routes, and make free and unique associations between ideas, concepts, emotions, memories, symbols, imaginative forms, objects, and words that can be developed into the most fulfilling and original artworks. At the same time, creativity inspires you to use colours, tools, textures, and materials in unfamiliar ways, to explore their intrinsic qualities, and to express your unique Self in new ways.

Creativity can help you find what Lisa Congdon refers to as "your artistic voice". As long as you use it, you don’t have to constantly search for new ideas and solutions.

Creativity can also help you transform rather than reproduce empirical reality (think exploration, combination, modification). Not least, it can show you how to take your artworks out there, and how to offer them to the world rather than keeping them all to yourself.

Find, transform, gift are the 3 fundamental stages of any art-making process that you can read about in detail here .

Art, creativity, and inspiration

Art and creativity are are inextricably linked. Creativity is an inborn seed that paradoxically contains infinity. Art is a beautiful and one-of-a-kind manifestation of it.

Creativity, like all seeds, needs a little inspiration and a lot of artistic practice to thrive. Creativity must be actively and consciously nourished and increased. It requires training and expects you to use it. The trick is that it doesn't grow on its own, and it isn't an exclusive privilege of a select few, but rather a spark or chance embedded in each of us from birth.

Inspiration, creativity's near relative, is nothing more than your receptive response to a variety of stimuli such as forms, materials, colours, past or current experiences, and much more. One thing is certain: inspiration can be a stroke of genius or a lightning bolt only for people who dabble in art, but never fully commit to it.

If you want to find out the truth about art inspiration, how to find it, and how to stay inspired, read this blog post and listen here to my podcast episode with Susan Hopkinson.

A short recap

Let’s wrap up this rundown of creativity in art.

Creativity is an inborn seed that contains the infinite, paradoxically. It is a gift , just like your entire Self. It is your ability to observe empirical reality differently and express yourself in unique ways, to make original connections and free associations that others don't, and to reinvent reality, each time anew.

Creativity allows you to produce innumerable, one-of-a-kind contributions to the ever-expanding Universe. It takes you out of contingency and arbitrariness, and moves you into meaningful action, giving you, thus, a sense of purpose and adventure .

At the same time, creativity allows you to live your life on the vertical axis since it has the capacity to lift you above trivialities and the must-do into the love-do .

But, like all seeds, creativity requires daily practice . It must be actively and purposefully cared for, nurtured, and developed from a natural potential to actual skill. It must be trained, and you must act on it, because it does not unfurl and flourish on its own; it needs your active contribution .

Creativity in art is magnificently unconventional, anti-conformist, boundless, and free. It is, in fact, a verb . It is e nergy in action , dynamic and versatile. It is intentional and purposeful. But mind you: it lacks a road map, a user manual, a plan, and a standard pattern.

Embrace your inborn creativity, honour its potential, and open up your spirit to all the possibilities that it has to offer! But don’t expect creativity to do the whole job. Observe and practice relentlessly . Because committed and intentional work always pays off. 😊

Thank you for reading till the end.

If you’ve got something to add, please comment on this blog post below, drop me an e-mail , or pm me on Instagram at @the_pointless_artist . I'd love to hear from you!

To stay tuned and never miss a blog post, make sure to sign up for The Pointless Artist’s email list below.

Recognise your pointlessness and keep creating!

From Germany with love,

What to read next: related posts

Want to understand what art inspiration really is, and how to get inspired? Read my blog post "The truth about art inspiration + how to find inspiration and stay inspired as a visual artist" , and listen to my podcast episode with Susan Hopkinson .

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1. it gives us fresh insights about ourselves and our history..

Updated September 12, 2023 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• Aesthetic cognitivism argues that art builds new understandings.
• Experts and viewers describe immersive positive and unpleasant emotion, and transformative effects of art.
• Meaningful art inspires insights about oneself, others, artists, and the creative process.

This post was co-authored by Dr. Pablo Tinio , Department of Educational Foundations, Montclair State University.

Despite the vast scholarship in the psychology of art and aesthetics, we are still only starting to learn about the kinds of thoughts, insights, and understandings that people gain from experiencing art. More than a hundred years ago, Wassily Kandinsky described the role of the artist as conveying meaning: “The artist must have something to say, for mastery over form is not his goal, but rather the adapting of form to its inner meaning.” Researchers at the just completed Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association presented, from different perspectives, studies that examine what artists convey to the audience.

The starting point of these studies was a view of art born in philosophy — aesthetic cognitivism . It argues that one of the functions of art is to enhance understanding and cognitive abilities. The question for empirical scientists is how this happens.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania led by Anjan Chatterjee started by conveying an interdisciplinary group of art experts—philosophers, theologians, art historians, neuroscientists, and psychologists of art—and asking them to generate a list of terms that describe the impact of art. The result was a set of 69 cognitive-emotional terms. These terms were used as a starting point to understand the experience of art in the general public. Researchers asked participants to consider each term and list other words or phrases that relate to it in the context of viewing art. For example, if an artwork felt grounded, what else could it feel like (perhaps calm? or humble?)?

As they analyzed people’s associations, the researchers found four categories of impacts of art: (1) profound and immersive effects (feeling interested, contemplative, engaged, enraptured, swept away, or in awe ), (2) positive emotional effects (experiencing pleasure, feeling calm and consoled, experiencing empathy and compassion), (3) unpleasant emotional effects (being challenged, upset, or angry), and (4) transformational effects (finding transcendence, moral edification, gaining broadening of perspective, being inspired).

Taking a different approach, Pablo Tinio and I started with the mirror model of art , which explains how new understandings can be acquired. The mirror model describes processes of art creation and appreciation as reverse images of each other. Whereas artists start with meanings and ideas they aim to convey and transform into something tangible by adding compositional elements and layers to their creations, viewers start their experience by perceiving the final touches and, through continued engagement, can come to access the concepts and meanings the artist aimed to convey.

The question is, what makes those special pieces of art meaningful? In a study at the Whitney Museum of American Art, we examined that fundamental question. We approached visitors and asked them about the most meaningful piece of art they encountered.

After analyzing visitor interviews, five broad themes emerged about what makes art meaningful and what are the lessons—new understandings and insights—that people gain.

• Insights about oneself and one’s life history. When art creates an understanding of ourselves, people draw from it personal meaning and make connections to their lives, identify inspiration and personal transformation, realize a need for intellectual humility, and find emotional stimulation. For example, one visitor described their experience of " Oriental—Synchrony in Blue-Green " by Stanton Macdonal-Wright by contrasting the artist’s way of seeing the world and their own.
• Understandings about others and the world. Meaningful art stimulates understanding of relationships and connections with others, inspires insights about society and history, and spiritual , religious, or insights about the nature of existence. Viewers explicitly describe their experience of art as spiritual. One visitor reflected on their encounter with the " Door to the River" by Willem de Kooning as moving them to look at reality beyond the obvious and deconstructing reality into what is essential. They acknowledged the goal of abstract art as to inspire contemplation of the spiritual and noted that they were transported into such considerations.
• Understandings about the artist and their creative process. People find meaningful insights into artists’ lives, their ideas, intentions, and motivation in their works of art. For example, one viewer identified with the piece entitled " Ojalá nos encontremos en el mar/Hopefully We'll Meet at Sea" by Gabriella Báez, which uses red string to physically connect the child and her father in family photos. As the viewer reflected on their own father, they came to see the piece as an attempt at a reconstruction of a broken relationship by the artist.
• Awareness of the aesthetic narrative. Works of art have a profound effect when viewers search for meaning behind the creation of an aesthetic narrative, and approach the subject in an empathic way. We can viscerally feel the emotion and human connection when a viewer described the woman at the center of " The Subway" by George Tooker as lost and scared, almost as if caged, in a crowd, but clearly apart.
• Insights about art techniques and materials. People can find meaning in discovering the creative process, techniques, and materials that produced the art. For example, one viewer was struck by how " Untitled" by Malcolm Bailey from a distance appears like an illustration of a slave ship, but it actually shows a cotton plant in a blueprint-like manner. At close inspection, they marveled at the technique, noticed deliberately incomplete figures, and wondered about their purpose.

Importantly, the experience of meaningful art is not necessarily described by only one of these categories. In particular, understandings of artists’ lives and ideas tend to be mentioned along with other kinds of insights.

Even as researchers approached the question of the impacts of art from different angles, it is clear that experiences of meaningful art have in common being highly emotional, not in a simple way of liking, but in drawing on fondness and nostalgia , vulnerability, connectedness, and empathy, as well as challenging discomfort. Such deep emotional experiences facilitate a search for meaning and understanding.

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Christensen, A. P., Cardillo, E. R., & Chatterjee, A. (2023). What kind of impacts can artwork have on viewers? Establishing a taxonomy for aesthetic impacts. British Journal of Psychology , 114 (2), 335-351. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12623

Tinio, P. P. L. (2013). From artistic creation to aesthetic reception: The mirror model of art. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 7 (3), 265–275. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030872

Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, Ph.D. is a research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and studies emotions in creativity, as well as how to teach creativity skills through the arts.

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Essays About Creativity: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Creativity helps us understand and solve problems in different ways. Discover our top essays about creativity examples and use our prompts for your writing.

Albert Einstein defines creativity as “seeing what others see and thinking what others have not thought.” But what makes it such a popular topic to write about? Every person has a creative view and opinion on something, but not everyone knows how to express it. Writing utilizes ideas and imagination to produce written pieces, such as essays.

Creativity reinforces not only new views but also innovation around the world. Because creativity is a broad topic to write about, you’ll need several resources to help you narrow down what you want to discuss in your essay.

5 Essay Examples

1. way to foster creativity in young children by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 2. phenomenon of creativity and success by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 3. do schools kill creativity: essay on traditional education by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. creativity in dreams essay by writer pete, 5. the importance of creativity in higher education by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 1. what is creativity, 2. how creativity affects our daily lives, 3. the impact of creativity on students, 4. the importance of creativity, 5. creativity: a product of perception, 6. types of creativity, 7. art and creativity.

“There are different ways to foster creativity in young children. They include different approaches to the problem of making children more self-reliant, more creative, and more interested in the process of receiving education, obtaining experience, achieving certain results in the sphere of self-study.”

The essay delves into the importance of promoting creativity by teaching music to young students. The author says music’s intention, rhythm, and organizational features help people understand performance, improve their mood, and educate them about the world they live in, unlike noise. Music is an important area of life, so it is important to teach it correctly and inspire children.

Since music and creativity are both vital, the author notes that music teachers must find ways to facilitate ventures to enhance their students’ creativity. The author also believes that teachers must perform their duties appropriately and focus on shaping their students’ behavior, personality, and worldview. You might be interested in these articles about art .

“Over the past few decades, creativity has evolved from a characteristic normally associated with artistic activities into a quality that is found in people of various professions. However, in the 21st century, creativity has become a rather controversial issue.”

The author discusses that while creativity dramatically contributes to the success of individuals and companies, creativity in the 21st-century workplace still has mixed reception. They mention that creativity leads to new ideas and innovations, helps solve complex problems, and makes great leaders. 

However, some still see creative people as irrational, disorganized, and distracting in the workplace. This often results in companies rejecting applicants with this quality. Ultimately, the writer believes creativity is vital in all organizations today. Hiring people with this unique trait is highly beneficial and essential to achieving the company’s goals. For more inspiration, check out these essays about achievement and essays about curiosity .

“… the traditional education system has caused much controversy since the beginning of formal education because traditional education can hurt children’s ability to think creatively, innovate, and develop fascinating minds.”

The essay discusses how school rules and norms affect students’ expression of true individuality. The author mentions that today’s schools focus on students’ test performance, memorization, and compliance more than their aspirations and talents, preventing students from practicing and enhancing their creativity.

The author uses various articles, shows, and situations to elaborate on how schools kill a student’s creativity by forcing them to follow a specific curriculum as a means to succeed in life. It kills the student’s creativity as they become “robots” with the same beliefs, knowledge, and values. According to the writer, killing a child’s creativity leads to a lack of motivation and a wrong career direction.

“Creativity is enhanced whether one chooses to pay attention to it, or not. Each person has the capacity to learn much from their creative dreaming, if they would only think more creatively and openly when awake.”

The essay contains various studies to support claims about people being more creative when asleep. According to the author, the human brain processes more information when dreaming than in the waking state. While the brainstem is inactive, it responds to PGO Waves that trigger the human CMPG, which puts images into the dream to move. The author discusses two main perspectives to discuss how creative dreaming occurs.

First, creativity is enhanced when a person sleeps, not through dreaming but because the mind is free from stress, making the brain more focused on thinking and creating images. The second is that the dreaming mind gathers and processes more information than the human brain unconsciously accumulates daily. The author states that creativity helps express feelings and believes people should not take their creativity in dreams for granted.

“When students have the opportunity to be creative, they’ll have the freedom to express themselves however they want, which satisfies them and drives them to work hard.”

The essay focuses on how the role of creativity is getting slimmer as a student enters higher education. To explain the importance of creativity, the author shares their experience showing how elementary schools focus more on improving and training students’ creativity than higher education. Although rules and restrictions are essential in higher education, students should still practice creativity because it enhances their ability to think and quickly adapt to different situations.

If you want to use the latest grammar software, read our guide to using an AI grammar checker .

7 Prompts for Essays About Creativity

Creativity is an important topic that significantly affects an individual’s development. For this prompt, discuss the meaning of creativity according to experts versus the personal interpretation of creative individuals. Compare these explanations and add your opinion on these similarities and differences. You can even discuss creativity in your life and how you practice creativity in your hobbies, interests, and education.

There are several impacts of creativity in one’s life. It improves mental health, strengthens the immune system, and affects one’s ability to solve problems in school and real life. Sometimes, being creative helps us be more open to various perspectives to reduce our biases. 

Use this prompt to write about a specific situation you experienced where creativity made you more innovative, inventive, or imaginative. Discuss these particular moments by pointing out creativity’s impact on your goal and how things would differ without creativity. You may also be interested in learning about the different types of creativity .

Creativity significantly impacts students’ enthusiasm and feeling of belongingness as they share their passion. Additionally, creativity’s effects stretch to students’ career choices and mental health.

Use this prompt to start a discussion of the pros and cons of creativity with students. Give examples where a student’s creativity leads to their success or failure. You can also share your observations as a guardian or a student.  

Sometimes, when we lose touch with our creative side, our viewpoint becomes shallow. Creativity not only works for art but also broadens everyone’s perspectives in life. 

For this prompt, speak about how creativity matters and prove its importance by providing a situation. Theorize or discuss how creative people and people who fail to increase their creativity respond to the case. 

Perception is an underlying characteristic of creativity. It interprets what we observe, while creativity allows us to make sense of them. Use this prompt to define perception to the readers through the lens of creativity.

List your experience proving creativity is a product of perception. For example, people can have vastly different interpretations of a painting or sound depending on how they perceive it. 

There are several types of creativity, some people believe creativity is a natural talent, but others say it can be cultivated. In this prompt, briefly define creativity and identify each type, such as musical, artistic, or logical. 

Discuss how creativity can be taught and cultivated, and look into how some people are naturally creative. In your essay, use real-life examples; this could be someone you know who has studied a creative subject or a friend who is a naturally creative songwriter.

When people say creativity, they usually think about art because it involves imaginative and expressive actions. Art strongly indicates a person’s ongoing effort and emotional power. 

To write this essay effectively, show how art relates to a person’s creativity. Briefly explain creativity and art and incorporate the factors that link these two. Note that art can be anything from contemporary dance and music to sculptures and paintings. For help with your essay, check our round-up of best essay writing apps .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Feeling Artsy? Here's How Making Art Helps Your Brain

Malaka Gharib

Credit: Meredith Rizzo/NPR

A lot of my free time is spent doodling. I'm a journalist on NPR's science desk by day. But all the time in between, I am an artist — specifically, a cartoonist.

I draw in between tasks. I sketch at the coffee shop before work. And I like challenging myself to complete a zine — a little magazine — on my 20-minute bus commute.

I do these things partly because it's fun and entertaining. But I suspect there's something deeper going on. Because when I create, I feel like it clears my head. It helps me make sense of my emotions. And it somehow, it makes me feel calmer and more relaxed.

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This story comes from an episode of Life Kit , NPR's podcast with tools to help you get it together. For more, sign up for the newsletter and follow @NPRLifeKit on Twitter .

Making Art Is Good For Your Health. Here's How To Start A Habit

That made me wonder: What is going on in my brain when I draw? Why does it feel so nice? And how can I get other people — even if they don't consider themselves artists — on the creativity train?

It turns out there's a lot happening in our minds and bodies when we make art.

"Creativity in and of itself is important for remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world," says Christianne Strang , a professor of neuroscience at the University of Alabama Birmingham and the former president of the American Art Therapy Association .

This idea extends to any type of visual creative expression: drawing, painting, collaging, sculpting clay, writing poetry, cake decorating, knitting, scrapbooking — the sky's the limit.

"Anything that engages your creative mind — the ability to make connections between unrelated things and imagine new ways to communicate — is good for you," says Girija Kaimal . She is a professor at Drexel University and a researcher in art therapy, leading art sessions with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury and caregivers of cancer patients.

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Can poetry keep you young science is still out, but the heart says yes.

But she's a big believer that art is for everybody — and no matter what your skill level, it's something you should try to do on a regular basis. Here's why:

It helps you imagine a more hopeful future

Art's ability to flex our imaginations may be one of the reasons why we've been making art since we were cave-dwellers, says Kaimal. It might serve an evolutionary purpose. She has a theory that art-making helps us navigate problems that might arise in the future. She wrote about this in October in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association .

Her theory builds off of an idea developed in the last few years — that our brain is a predictive machine. The brain uses "information to make predictions about we might do next — and more importantly what we need to do next to survive and thrive," says Kaimal.

When you make art, you're making a series of decisions — what kind of drawing utensil to use, what color, how to translate what you're seeing onto the paper. And ultimately, interpreting the images — figuring out what it means.

Make This: "How To Start An Art Habit" Zine

This zine covers the basics of starting an art habit. Print it out here , and carry its inspiration wherever you go. ( Folding directions courtesy of The Oregonian ).

"So what our brain is doing every day, every moment, consciously and unconsciously, is trying to imagine what is going to come and preparing yourself to face that," she says.

Kaimal has seen this play out at her clinical practice as an art therapist with a student who was severely depressed. "She was despairing. Her grades were really poor and she had a sense of hopelessness," she recalls.

The student took out a piece of paper and colored the whole sheet with thick black marker. Kaimal didn't say anything.

"She looked at that black sheet of paper and stared at it for some time," says Kaimal. "And then she said, 'Wow. That looks really dark and bleak.' "

And then something amazing happened, says Kaimal. The student looked around and grabbed some pink sculpting clay. And she started making ... flowers: "She said, you know what? I think maybe this reminds me of spring."

Art Studio Helps Adults With Disabilities Turn Their Passion Into A Career

Through that session and through creating art, says Kaimal, the student was able to imagine possibilities and see a future beyond the present moment in which she was despairing and depressed.

"This act of imagination is actually an act of survival," she says. "It is preparing us to imagine possibilities and hopefully survive those possibilities."

It activates the reward center of our brain

For a lot of people, making art can be nerve-wracking. What are you going to make? What kind of materials should you use? What if you can't execute it? What if it ... sucks?

Studies show that despite those fears, "engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated," says Kaimal. "Which means that you feel good and it's perceived as a pleasurable experience."

She and a team of researchers discovered this in a 2017 paper published in the journal The Arts in Psychotherapy . They measured blood flow to the brain's reward center, the medial prefrontal cortex, in 26 participants as they completed three art activities: coloring in a mandala, doodling and drawing freely on a blank sheet of paper. And indeed — the researchers found an increase in blood flow to this part of the brain when the participants were making art.

This research suggests making art may have benefit for people dealing with health conditions that activate the reward pathways in the brain, like addictive behaviors, eating disorders or mood disorders, the researchers wrote.

It lowers stress

Although the research in the field of art therapy is emerging, there's evidence that making art can lower stress and anxiety. In a 2016 paper in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association , Kaimal and a group of researchers measured cortisol levels of 39 healthy adults. Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body respond to stress.

Start Fresh: 6 Tips For Emotional Well-Being In 2020

They found that 45 minutes of creating art in a studio setting with an art therapist significant lowered cortisol levels.

The paper also showed that there were no differences in health outcomes between people who identify as experienced artists and people who don't. So that means that no matter your skill level, you'll be able to feel all the good things that come with making art.

It lets you focus deeply

Ultimately, says Kaimal, making art should induce what the scientific community calls "flow" — the wonderful thing that happens when you're in the zone. "It's that sense of losing yourself, losing all awareness. You're so in the moment and fully present that you forget all sense of time and space," she says.

And what's happening in your brain when you're in flow state? "It activates several networks including relaxed reflective state, focused attention to task and sense of pleasure," she says. Kaimal points to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology , which found that flow was characterized by increased theta wave activity in the frontal areas of the brain — and moderate alpha wave activities in the frontal and central areas.

So what kind of art should you try?

Some types of art appear to yield greater health benefits than others.

Kaimal says modeling clay, for example, is wonderful to play around with. "It engages both your hands and many parts of your brain in sensory experiences," she says. "Your sense of touch, your sense of three-dimensional space, sight, maybe a little bit of sound — all of these are engaged in using several parts of yourself for self-expression, and likely to be more beneficial."

A number of studies have shown that coloring inside a shape — specifically a pre-drawn geometric mandala design — is more effective in boosting mood than coloring on a blank paper or even coloring inside a square shape. And one 2012 study published in Journal of the American Art Therapy Association showed that coloring inside a mandala reduces anxiety to a greater degree compared to coloring in a plaid design or a plain sheet of paper.

Strang says there's no one medium or art activity that's "better" than another. "Some days you want to may go home and paint. Other days you might want to sketch," she says. "Do what's most beneficial to you at any given time."

Process your emotions

It's important to note: if you're going through serious mental health distress, you should seek the guidance of a professional art therapist, says Strang.

However, if you're making art to connect with your own creativity, decrease anxiety and hone your coping skills, "by all means, figure out how to allow yourself to do that," she says.

Just let those "lines, shapes and colors translate your emotional experience into something visual," she says. "Use the feelings that you feel in your body, your memories. Because words don't often get it."

Her words made me reflect on all those moments when I reached into my purse for my pen and sketchbook. A lot of the time, I was using my drawings and little musings to communicate how I was feeling. What I was doing was helping myself deal. It was cathartic. And that catharsis gave me a sense of relief.

A few months ago, I got into an argument with someone. On my bus ride to work the next day, I was still stewing over it. In frustration, I pulled out my notebook and wrote out the old adage, "Do not let the world make you hard."

View this post on Instagram left this (very common saying) on the back of the x1 bus going downtown, for anyone A post shared by malaka🥀gharib (@malakagharib) on Jul 10, 2019 at 5:54am PDT

I carefully ripped the message off the page and affixed it to the seat in front of me on the bus. I thought, let this be a reminder to anyone who reads it!

I took a photo of the note and posted it to my Instagram. Looking back at the image later that night, I realized who the message was really for. Myself.

Malaka Gharib is a writer and editor on NPR's science desk and the author of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir .

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Essay on Art

500 words essay on art.

Each morning we see the sunshine outside and relax while some draw it to feel relaxed. Thus, you see that art is everywhere and anywhere if we look closely. In other words, everything in life is artwork. The essay on art will help us go through the importance of art and its meaning for a better understanding.

What is Art?

For as long as humanity has existed, art has been part of our lives. For many years, people have been creating and enjoying art.  It expresses emotions or expression of life. It is one such creation that enables interpretation of any kind.

It is a skill that applies to music, painting, poetry, dance and more. Moreover, nature is no less than art. For instance, if nature creates something unique, it is also art. Artists use their artwork for passing along their feelings.

Thus, art and artists bring value to society and have been doing so throughout history. Art gives us an innovative way to view the world or society around us. Most important thing is that it lets us interpret it on our own individual experiences and associations.

Art is similar to live which has many definitions and examples. What is constant is that art is not perfect or does not revolve around perfection. It is something that continues growing and developing to express emotions, thoughts and human capacities.

Importance of Art

Art comes in many different forms which include audios, visuals and more. Audios comprise songs, music, poems and more whereas visuals include painting, photography, movies and more.

You will notice that we consume a lot of audio art in the form of music, songs and more. It is because they help us to relax our mind. Moreover, it also has the ability to change our mood and brighten it up.

After that, it also motivates us and strengthens our emotions. Poetries are audio arts that help the author express their feelings in writings. We also have music that requires musical instruments to create a piece of art.

Other than that, visual arts help artists communicate with the viewer. It also allows the viewer to interpret the art in their own way. Thus, it invokes a variety of emotions among us. Thus, you see how essential art is for humankind.

Without art, the world would be a dull place. Take the recent pandemic, for example, it was not the sports or news which kept us entertained but the artists. Their work of arts in the form of shows, songs, music and more added meaning to our boring lives.

Therefore, art adds happiness and colours to our lives and save us from the boring monotony of daily life.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Art

All in all, art is universal and can be found everywhere. It is not only for people who exercise work art but for those who consume it. If there were no art, we wouldn’t have been able to see the beauty in things. In other words, art helps us feel relaxed and forget about our problems.

FAQ of Essay on Art

Question 1: How can art help us?

Answer 1: Art can help us in a lot of ways. It can stimulate the release of dopamine in your bodies. This will in turn lower the feelings of depression and increase the feeling of confidence. Moreover, it makes us feel better about ourselves.

Question 2: What is the importance of art?

Answer 2: Art is essential as it covers all the developmental domains in child development. Moreover, it helps in physical development and enhancing gross and motor skills. For example, playing with dough can fine-tune your muscle control in your fingers.

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Applied creativity and the arts

• Point and counterpoint
• Published: 23 April 2021
• Volume 41 , pages 107–112, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

• Anne Harris   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1138-8229 1 &
• Mindy R. Carter   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7205-5965 2  

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Linden Wilkinson for her literature review contributions that informed this essay. A/Prof Anne Harris is currently funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Future Fellowship funding scheme (project ID# FT170100022). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Government or Australian Research Council.

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Anne Harris

McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Harris, A., Carter, M.R. Applied creativity and the arts. Curric Perspect 41 , 107–112 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-020-00127-z

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Published : 23 April 2021

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Creativity  - What is Art?

Creativity  -, what is art, creativity what is art.

Creativity: What is Art?

Lesson 5: what is art.

/en/creativity/the-dangers-of-perfectionism/content/

What is art?

When we hear the word art , some of our minds jump to museums or framed paintings. And in that context, some people think, I'm not really a big fan of art. I just don't get it. Or maybe they think of art as something that's just for intellectuals, or artsy people.

But really, art is for anyone who wants to experience it , and it's often in more places than we might realize. Songs you like, movies you watch, poems, theater, even a quilt that your grandmother made: All of this, and more, is art.

Watch the video below to learn more about art.

So you might be wondering, Well, then, what is art exactly ? This can be tough. Art has been around for thousands of years, and through the ages it has evolved in a number of ways. The reasons for creating it vary from person to person, depending on any number of factors as well, so defining art is pretty tricky and is something that's been debated throughout history. There simply isn't one agreed-upon definition .

Many believe that art is anything that stirs emotion in you. These emotions depend entirely on your history, your story, basically everything that comes together to make up who you are. Because of this, three different people can experience the same piece of art and have wildly different reactions to it. One person might think it's the most beautiful thing they've ever seen, the second person might hate it, and the third might not feel much of anything at all. And none of them would be wrong!

Everyone's entitled to their own preferences and feelings. The way you feel about your favorite song could be the same way someone else feels about their favorite sculpture. And even though you might not like that sculpture, it can be valuable to consider why that person enjoys it so much. You may learn something about them and maybe even yourself.

The term art is really just a label. Over the years, a lot of people have tried to classify what it is or what it isn't. But that's not really what art is about; it's about your personal experience with it and the meaning you draw from it. Everyone reacts to art differently and has the potential to grow and learn from it. It gives us an opportunity to tell stories, record history, and tap into our emotions in a way that few other things can.

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The Philosophy of Creativity: New Essays

Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology

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Creativity pervades human life. It is the mark of individuality, the vehicle of self-expression, and the engine of progress in every human endeavor. It also raises a wealth of philosophical questions, but curiously, it hasn’t been a major topic in contemporary philosophy. The Philosophy of Creativity ventures to change that. Illustrating the value of interdisciplinary exchange, this is a series of new essays from some of today’s leading thinkers integrating philosophical insights with empirical research. Join them as they explore such issues as the role of consciousness in the creative process, the role of the audience in the creation of art, the emergence of creativity through childhood pretending, whether great works of literature give us insight into human nature, whether a computer program can really be creative, the definition of creativity, whether creativity is a virtue, the difference between creativity in science and art, and whether creativity can be taught—both in general and within philosophy itself.

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Creativity and Academics: The Power of an Arts Education

The arts are as important as academics, and they should be treated that way in school curriculum. This is what we believe and practice at New Mexico School for the Arts (NMSA). While the positive impact of the arts on academic achievement is worthwhile in itself, it's also the tip of the iceberg when looking at the whole child. Learning art goes beyond creating more successful students. We believe that it creates more successful human beings.

NMSA is built upon a dual arts and academic curriculum. Our teachers, students, and families all hold the belief that both arts and academics are equally important. Our goal is to prepare students for professional careers in the arts, while also equipping them with the skills and content knowledge necessary to succeed in college. From our personal experience ( and research ), here are five benefits of an arts education:

1. Growth Mindset

Through the arts, students develop skills like resilience, grit, and a growth mindset to help them master their craft, do well academically, and succeed in life after high school. (See Embracing Failure: Building a Growth Mindset Through the Arts and Mastering Self-Assessment: Deepening Independent Learning Through the Arts .) Ideally, this progression will happen naturally, but often it can be aided by the teacher. By setting clear expectations and goals for students and then drawing the correlation between the work done and the results, students can begin to shift their motivation, resulting in a much healthier and more sustainable learning environment.

For students to truly grow and progress, there has to be a point when intrinsic motivation comes into balance with extrinsic motivation. In the early stages of learning an art form, students engage with the activity because it's fun (intrinsic motivation). However, this motivation will allow them to progress only so far, and then their development begins to slow -- or even stop. At this point, lean on extrinsic motivation to continue your students' growth. This can take the form of auditions, tests, or other assessments. Like the impact of early intrinsic motivation, this kind of engagement will help your students grow and progress. While both types of motivation are helpful and productive, a hybrid of the two is most successful. Your students will study or practice not only for the external rewards, but also because of the self-enjoyment or satisfaction this gives them.

2. Self-Confidence

A number of years ago, I had a student enter my band program who would not speak. When asked a question, she would simply look at me. She loved being in band, but she would not play. I wondered why she would choose to join an activity while refusing to actually do the activity. Slowly, through encouragement from her peers and myself, a wonderful young person came out from under her insecurities and began to play. And as she learned her instrument, I watched her transform into not only a self-confident young lady and an accomplished musician, but also a student leader. Through the act of making music, she overcame her insecurities and found her voice and place in life.

3. Improved Cognition

Research connects learning music to improved "verbal memory, second language pronunciation accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions" in youth ( Frontiers in Neuroscience ). By immersing students in arts education, you draw them into an incredibly complex and multifaceted endeavor that combines many subject matters (like mathematics, history, language, and science) while being uniquely tied to culture.

For example, in order for a student to play in tune, he must have a scientific understanding of sound waves and other musical acoustics principles. Likewise, for a student to give an inspired performance of Shakespeare, she must understand social, cultural, and historical events of the time. The arts are valuable not only as stand-alone subject matter, but also as the perfect link between all subject matters -- and a great delivery system for these concepts, as well. You can see this in the correlation between drawing and geometry, or between meter and time signatures and math concepts such as fractions .

4. Communication

One can make an argument that communication may be the single most important aspect of existence. Our world is built through communication. Students learn a multitude of communication skills by studying the arts. Through the very process of being in a music ensemble, they must learn to verbally, physically, and emotionally communicate with their peers, conductor, and audience. Likewise, a cast member must not only communicate the spoken word to an audience, but also the more intangible underlying emotions of the script. The arts are a mode of expression that transforms thoughts and emotions into a unique form of communication -- art itself.

5. Deepening Cultural and Self-Understanding

While many find the value of arts education to be the ways in which it impacts student learning, I feel the learning of art is itself a worthwhile endeavor. A culture without art isn’t possible. Art is at the very core of our identity as humans. I feel that the greatest gift we can give students -- and humanity -- is an understanding, appreciation, and ability to create art.

What are some of the benefits of an arts education that you have noticed with your students?

New Mexico School for the Arts

Per pupil expenditures, free / reduced lunch, demographics:.

The Big Role of the Nine Muses in Greek Mythology

This essay about the Muses in Greek mythology explores the roles and significance of these nine goddesses of the arts and sciences. Each Muse is associated with a specific artistic or scientific discipline, from Calliope’s oversight of epic poetry to Urania’s domain of astronomy. The essay details how the Muses, as daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, symbolize the connection between creativity and memory, inspiring both ancient Greek culture and its artistic and intellectual outputs. They were central figures in mythological narratives and cultural practices, often invoked in literary and academic works to guide and enhance creativity. The essay also discusses the broader cultural impact of the Muses, highlighting their influence on education, philosophy, and the conceptualization of art as an essential part of human development. Through their enduring legacy, the Muses continue to represent the inspiration behind both artistic expression and scientific exploration.

How it works

Within the intricate fabric of Hellenic mythology, the Muses occupy a singular realm as the goddesses presiding over the arts and sciences, epitomizing the intellectual and creative endeavors that molded ancient Greek civilization. They are traditionally perceived as the wellsprings of inspiration for artisans, versifiers, minstrels, and intellectuals, furnishing a divine spark to ignite the inventive process. The Muses were deemed indispensable for the genesis of novelty and aesthetic splendor in both artistic and scientific realms.

The Muses trace their lineage to Zeus, the sovereign of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the embodiment of memory, underscoring the inherent connection between creativity and the mnemonic faculty.

Their birthplace is Pieria, nestled at the base of Mount Olympus, renowned for its scenic grandeur and conducive milieu for artistic ingenuity. Traditionally numbering nine, each Muse is entrusted with a distinct sphere of artistic and scientific pursuit.

Calliope , the eldest Muse, governs over epic poetry, often depicted wielding a writing tablet or parchment, emblematic of her influence on heroic narratives and chronicles that define civilizations.

Clio , the Muse of historiography, carries a scroll or chest of volumes, her dominion encompassing the annals of significant deeds and events shaping societies.

Erato is linked with lyrical and amorous poetry, frequently depicted with a lyre, her mellifluous strains inspiring poets to pen verses that pluck at the heartstrings.

Euterpe , bestower of joy, serves as the Muse of music and lyrical verse. Often depicted with a flute, her realm embodies the delight and solace music imparts.

Melpomene , formerly the Muse of melodic singing, now epitomizes tragedy. She bears the tragic mask and oftentimes a scepter or blade, symbolizing the profound stakes and moral lessons of tragic narratives.

Thalia , the antithesis of Melpomene, presides over comedy. Adorned with a comic mask and shepherd’s crook, she embodies the light-hearted and buoyant spirit of comedic expression.

Terpsichore governs dance and choral singing. Often portrayed with a lyre and plectrum, she celebrates the expressive movements and rhythmic cadences characteristic of dance.

Polyhymnia , the Muse of sacred verse, hymns, and oratory, assumes a contemplative and solemn demeanor, her countenance veiled to denote the profound reflection her subjects necessitate.

Urania , the Muse of astronomy, grasps a celestial globe and compass, symbolizing her dominion over the celestial mechanics and heavenly bodies.

The Muses not only served as inspiration but also as benefactors of educational institutions and cultural hubs throughout ancient Greece, such as the Library of Alexandria. They were invoked at the commencement of poems, dramas, and scholarly treatises to assist the creator in captivating both human audiences and the divine.

Beyond their mythological roles, the Muses wielded considerable cultural influence, shaping the philosophical landscape of ancient Greece. They epitomized the notion that art transcends mere entertainment to become a vital component of human edification and ethical refinement. Philosophers like Plato acknowledged the indispensable role of the Muses in cultivating well-rounded individuals capable of both critical cogitation and aesthetic appreciation.

In contemporary times, the legacy of the Muses continues to reverberate across the arts and sciences. The term “muse” is frequently employed to describe individuals who inspire creativity in others, underscoring the enduring resonance of these mythological entities. In their amalgamation of divine inspiration and human endeavor, the Muses encapsulate the quintessence of Greek culture, positing that beauty, whether manifested in art or scientific discovery, constitutes a fundamental pursuit of humanity.

Through their mythological narratives and cultural import, the Muses contribute profoundly to our comprehension of the ancient world and its esteem for the arts and sciences as pillars of civilization. Their tales and symbols serve as a poignant reminder of the ancient conviction in the inseparable link between artistic expression and the divine.

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Guest Essay

Art Isn’t Supposed to Make You Comfortable

By Jen Silverman

Mx. Silverman is a playwright and the author, most recently, of the novel “There’s Going to Be Trouble.”

When I was in college, I came across “The Sea and Poison,” a 1950s novel by Shusaku Endo. It tells the story of a doctor in postwar Japan who, as an intern years earlier, participated in a vivisection experiment on an American prisoner. Endo’s lens on the story is not the easiest one, ethically speaking; he doesn’t dwell on the suffering of the victim. Instead, he chooses to explore a more unsettling element: the humanity of the perpetrators.

When I say “humanity” I mean their confusion, self-justifications and willingness to lie to themselves. Atrocity doesn’t just come out of evil, Endo was saying, it emerges from self-interest, timidity, apathy and the desire for status. His novel showed me how, in the right crucible of social pressures, I, too, might delude myself into making a choice from which an atrocity results. Perhaps this is why the book has haunted me for nearly two decades, such that I’ve read it multiple times.

I was reminded of that novel at 2 o’clock in the morning recently as I scrolled through a social media account dedicated to collecting angry reader reviews. My attention was caught by someone named Nathan, whose take on “Paradise Lost” was: “Milton was a fascist turd.” But it was another reader, Ryan, who reeled me in with his response to John Updike’s “Rabbit, Run”: “This book made me oppose free speech.” From there, I hit the bank of “Lolita” reviews: Readers were appalled, frustrated, infuriated. What a disgusting man! How could Vladimir Nabokov have been permitted to write this book? Who let authors write such immoral, perverse characters anyway?

I was cackling as I scrolled but soon a realization struck me. Here on my screen was the distillation of a peculiar American illness: namely, that we have a profound and dangerous inclination to confuse art with moral instruction, and vice versa.

As someone who was born in the States but partially raised in a series of other countries, I’ve always found the sheer uncompromising force of American morality to be mesmerizing and terrifying. Despite our plurality of influences and beliefs, our national character seems inescapably informed by an Old Testament relationship to the notions of good and evil. This powerful construct infuses everything from our advertising campaigns to our political ones — and has now filtered into, and shifted, the function of our artistic works.

Maybe it’s because our political discourse swings between deranged and abhorrent on a daily basis and we would like to combat our feelings of powerlessness by insisting on moral simplicity in the stories we tell and receive. Or maybe it’s because many of the transgressions that flew under the radar in previous generations — acts of misogyny, racism and homophobia; abuses of power both macro and micro — are now being called out directly. We’re so intoxicated by openly naming these ills that we have begun operating under the misconception that to acknowledge each other’s complexity, in our communities as well as in our art, is to condone each other’s cruelties.

When I work with younger writers, I am frequently amazed by how quickly peer feedback sessions turn into a process of identifying which characters did or said insensitive things. Sometimes the writers rush to defend the character, but often they apologize shamefacedly for their own blind spot, and the discussion swerves into how to fix the morals of the piece. The suggestion that the values of a character can be neither the values of the writer nor the entire point of the piece seems more and more surprising — and apt to trigger discomfort.

While I typically share the progressive political views of my students, I’m troubled by their concern for righteousness over complexity. They do not want to be seen representing any values they do not personally hold. The result is that, in a moment in which our world has never felt so fast-changing and bewildering, our stories are getting simpler, less nuanced and less able to engage with the realities through which we’re living.

I can’t blame younger writers for believing that it is their job to convey a strenuously correct public morality. This same expectation filters into all the modes in which I work: novels, theater, TV and film. The demands of Internet Nathan and Internet Ryan — and the anxieties of my mentees — are not so different from those of the industry gatekeepers who work in the no-man’s land between art and money and whose job it is to strip stories of anything that could be ethically murky.

I have worked in TV writers’ rooms where “likability notes” came from on high as soon as a complex character was on the page — particularly when the character was female. Concern about her likability was most often a concern about her morals: Could she be perceived as promiscuous? Selfish? Aggressive? Was she a bad girlfriend or a bad wife? How quickly could she be rehabilitated into a model citizen for the viewers?

TV is not alone in this. A director I’m working with recently pitched our screenplay to a studio. When the executives passed, they told our team it was because the characters were too morally ambiguous and they’d been tasked with seeking material wherein the lesson was clear, so as not to unsettle their customer base. What they did not say, but did not need to, is that in the absence of adequate federal arts funding, American art is tied to the marketplace. Money is tight, and many corporations do not want to pay for stories that viewers might object to if they can buy something that plays blandly in the background of our lives.

But what art offers us is crucial precisely because it is not a bland backdrop or a platform for simple directives. Our books, plays, films and TV shows can do the most for us when they don’t serve as moral instruction manuals but allow us to glimpse our own hidden capacities, the slippery social contracts inside which we function, and the contradictions we all contain.

We need more narratives that tell us the truth about how complex our world is. We need stories that help us name and accept paradoxes, not ones that erase or ignore them. After all, our experience of living in communities with one another is often much more fluid and changeable than it is rigidly black and white. We have the audiences that we cultivate, and the more we cultivate audiences who believe that the job of art is to instruct instead of investigate, to judge instead of question, to seek easy clarity instead of holding multiple uncertainties, the more we will find ourselves inside a culture defined by rigidity, knee-jerk judgments and incuriosity. In our hair-trigger world of condemnation, division and isolation, art — not moralizing — has never been more crucial.

Jen Silverman is a playwright and the author of the novels “We Play Ourselves” and “There’s Going to Be Trouble.”

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