If I were to ask you what a world without art would look like, I think we can all agree that that world would be pretty difficult to imagine and likely not one we’d really care for. And yet, art and creativity tend to be deemed “unessential” or simply a fun hobby. Why is that? If we can all agree we wouldn’t care to exist in a world devoid of all art then why is it often the first subject to get ditched in education or our busy work schedule?

What we can sometimes forget is how important art and creativity is to the human experience or we may even fail to acknowledge what actually constitutes creativity since it is involved in so much more than simply artistic endeavours.

But let’s consider for a moment that we should all perhaps add some artistic hobbies into our lives. Why should we? Why can’t we leave the arts to the “artists”. Well, for starters, because art isn’t just for the professional artists. We can reap a lot of benefits from having an artistic practice ourselves (whether that’s painting, drawing, music, writing, photography, poetry, dancing, etc.) as well as simply incorporating art pieces into our daily lives (watching shows/movies, reading book for poetry, enjoying paintings or other visual arts in our home). Why is that? Why does art benefit us? Why is art GOOD for us - whether we’re the ones actually doing the art or we’re the ones viewing it (and hopefully it’s both)?

There’s probably a never ending list of why we can all benefit from the arts but here’s a few to help encourage you to start prioritizing bringing the arts into your life.

10 Reasons Why Art Is Good for Us

Art helps us process and release emotions

When you get in the flow of just doing and let go of the control, you’ll find certain emotions are released that you might not have even known you were holding onto. This can take some practice since so many of us go into a painting stressing to make it “good”. It’s not about being good or bad, it’s about the process and seeing what comes up from it.

I plan my paintings to a certain extent. I go in with a thought or image in my head; I collect pictures that will help me get my ideas across. Once I have the main layout down on my canvas, I let my intuition take over and I actually try not to think about it much anymore. Getting into this flows allows me to release energies and although I may not always find it relaxing (often it’s rather exhausting!) I do find certain emotions can lead the painting in a direction I may not have expected from the start.

In a way, you could think of painting as a kind of therapy. In fact, art therapy can be a very useful and gentle way of reaching into our beings.

I encourage you to try some art but go into it with zero expectation. Don’t expect a completed masterpiece. Don’t expect it to look like anything coherent when you’re done. You can throw it out immediately when you’re done without showing a single soul. Do it solely for the process alone, nothing about it has to be precious.

2. Art is a tool of expression and communication

I teach private lessons to a young teen with autism, He isn’t very verbal. We don’t have conversations more than single word, simple responses from him. He does however, create very interesting, unique paintings. For him, this is his way of communicating.

Colours take on meanings. They speak to us and communicate in subtle but impactful ways. Think about if you were to walk into a bright neon yellow room - how would you feel? Probably a little agitated. What about a soft, pastel blue room? Calm? Maybe even a little sad?

Out visual input affects our beings in more ways than you might expect. Your art communicated something to you and to others even if you think all it is is a pretty (or ugly) picture.

Now we can expand that from the visual arts and look at music, writing, film - all more obvious forms of communication and ones that our world simply wouldn’t be what it is without.

3. Art helps us relate to others

Have you ever read a poem, watched a movie, viewed a painting that brought you to tears or made you smile because of a memory it made you think of? Of course you have. I know I’ve read countless poems, listened to hundreds of songs and I went “Yes! That’s it! That’s how I feel; someone finally put it into words!” We realize we aren’t alone.

4. Art encourages vulnerability and a release of control

These past few months, I’ve put a lot of thought into my process, techniques and the reasons behind it. Ive realized that painting with lively, free strokes, using the palette knife, or letting my paint drip - these techniques demand a lack of control. And a lack of control means vulnerability. So my process is a mindful, almost meditative practice of opening up, letting down my walls, and letting go of control. In almost all areas of my life I’ve noticed this, when I let go of control, I do better work. This however, comes with years of practice.

Try this mediative technique of letting go of control and opening yourself up to being vulnerable. I promise, you will notice positive changes in other areas of your life as well.

5. Art introduces us to new ideas and experiences

People are creating art all around the world. People of every background, ability, nationality, and whatever other genre you want to categorize people into. Art is one window into the lives of others may never relate to otherwise.

And not only our experiences in the present, but it teaches us about ideas and experiences in the past too.

6. Art teaches us tolerance and acceptance

It’s much harder to show a lack of empathy and intolerance towards those that we have been given a window into their world. Intolerance comes from a lack of knowledge of others. When we see things from others’ perspective - their ideas, their experiences, we becomes more tolerant and accepting of others. Art brings us together as humans,

7. Art opens us up to appreciation and gratitude

When you introduce art as a practice you may notice that you start looking for art everywhere. I was driving down a particularly boring stretch of highway this past weekend and I couldn’t help but notice the pretty fall coloured leaves on the trees, the fields and hills. I kept thinking “Hmm this could be a painting”, “Oh this could be a painting too”, “Oh I’d love to paint that!”

We take pictures of things that we cherish. Similarly, we can create art (whether a painting a song, a poem) about things that we appreciate and are grateful for too. We can start to take more notice in the small things that make this world so beautiful.

8. Art has cultural importance

There’s is a whole world of art history and it goes back to the beginning of humans! That’s crazy! The first people to walk this Earth shared in art practices. We would not know much about past civilizations if it weren’t for the art they contributed to their society. Furthermore, we are doing the same thing for whoever comes after us.

9. Art entertains us (shows, books, movies, galleries, etc.)

Hey remember Covid and being in lockdown for more or less 2 years?! Uh ya bring on Netflix, books, music…let’s thank all the artists for fullfilling our entertainment needs!

I think we too often forget what actually constitutes art. So many careers stem off of the arts and even more are becoming relevant and more jobs are continually being created in the arts!

Aside from careers, look at our hobbies. Most hobbies are centred around the arts. Hobbies are entertainment to us. So even if you had zero other benefits your enjoyment is worth the pursuit.

10. Art trains us to think outside the box

Looking at my art students, I know not all of them will go into an artistic field when they’re older. That’s totally fine! That being said, even if they go into a field that appears to have no art involved at all, I would still argue that art class is important. Practicing art and creativity trains our brains to come up with unique solutions. It teaches us that there doesn’t have to always be one way of doing things. It allows us to have an idea and see how we could implement it. It also makes it ok to fail that idea, or understand that we can scrap that original idea, come up with one even better or shift directions completely.

I actually love when my art “experiments” fail in my art classes. Students might initially be disappointed but the training here is feeling that disappointment and then using it to fuel a new idea. Tell me what career that skill wouldn’t be useful in? Now we’ve got kids thinking of unique, out of the box ideas that will move our society forward!

I know there are sooo many things to add to this list, it is nowhere near complete as there is a never ending amount of benefits art can deliver us - whether as the consumer or creator.

I encourage you to take up an art practice of some sort and meld it into your routine. Keep track of how your life shifts. I promise it will only have positive effects.

10 Reasons Why Art Is So Good For Us