Recently, presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced his plans to cut back on funding for The National Council on the Arts. Various candidates, mostly Republicans, have tried to do this over the years. For schools nationwide, this would mean no more arts programs for their classrooms. Various celebrities, such as Carol Channing and even Disney’s Selena Gomez have campaigned to make arts available to every school in America. This is a cause that I wholeheartedly support and with good reason too; today’s children know more about sex and drugs than they do about fine music and even theater. What is being done about the arts for schools and children here in New Hampshire? Today I wanted to highlight various ways in which children of all ages are being taught about the arts here in the Granite State.
Many theater companies across the state, whether they are top quality professional theaters or small community theater groups, offer a variety of theater classes for children of all ages. These classes are usually not costly and are always fun! Some of the activities in which children participate include games (such as mirror me, etc.) acting out skits, and sometimes (particularly if the class is on musical theatre), learning a number from a musical. These classes are for children of all ages, though older (high school age) students will often take a more serious, intense class on such topics as learning how to audition properly, refining your dance skills, etc. In addition, many theater companies offer children an opportunity to participate in children’s productions like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or even “Mainstage” shows like A Christmas Carol. Such experiences can teach children lasting values for life such as teamwork and trust. Children will also build life-long friendships and have a blast doing it all!
As for the schools, some schools offer an “artist in residence” program, where a different artist comes into the school and teaches children about their particular craft, whether that is puppetry, weaving, or even pottery making. My alma mater of Epping was one of the many schools that did this sort of program and I can remember anxiously awaiting the time of year when someone would come in and teach us about weaving a tapestry or making a mask. It helped that art was one of my favorite classes and I remember the many masks or pottery bowls that would line the main hallway of Epping Elementary School for weeks afterward. In addition, almost every middle and high school in the state has a drama club that puts on one or two productions a year, typically musicals. Both of the programs mentioned above benefit children in so many ways, exposing them to practices that have been around for centuries, as well as helping children to also become more culturally aware.
As you can see, there are many ways in which of all ages and backgrounds benefit from study of the arts, whether they are as complex as theater or as simple as drawing. Arts are truly an important cultural resource; let’s not let our children go to waste! I know if we all take the time to explore the many gifts the arts bring to our lives, than we will become all the better for it!
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