It is becoming increasingly difficult for society to connect in any real and humanistic way. Yes, we are connecting in increasing numbers through social media as Twitter and Facebook traffic continue to explode at a mind-boggling rate. But a Tweet seldom inspires, stirs the soul or extracts an array of emotions.
So what is it that still to this day binds us all – that each and every one of us enjoys and celebrates but also does not exclude based on economic condition, race, gender, or to an extent even talent? It is the arts. And by arts I am speaking in that large umbrella term that covers fine arts, music, film, literature.
Stop and think about your daily routine or that of your child. How much time do you or they spend listening to music, drawing, reading literature, watching movies or even singing whether at home or in the car? Those artistic devices touch us constantly throughout the day. And it doesn’t matter what society as a whole thinks of our artistic talents. A small child who depicts their family with crayons is no different than a celebrated painter. Both are equally inspired and gratified by their efforts and both intended audiences are moved because in both cases the child and the artist offered a piece of themselves.
We all have the need to express ourselves. Sometimes when a child falls through the cracks it’s because they haven’t been afforded or found the right creative program that he or she needs to express themselves.
At Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences we see each and every day the need for inclusiveness. We have created an Art Gallery and Exhibition that celebrates art from the community, our patients and staff. We incorporate the arts in programs and we began the Imagine Film Festival, now in its third season, to open society’s eyes to mental illness to eliminate stigma and promote the need for tolerance and equality.
The arts community also needs to collectively find ways to open new opportunities for all citizens; programs which are blind to age, race, and socio-economic status. The Region of Durham, through the Art of Transition, opened the door to this movement. The arts community just needs to hold hands and step inside.
