The Importance of the Arts - Right Now
Take an energizing sip of these big ideas with Kevin Joyce - and read on!
Sheesh, what a time. In the fury and flurry of nefariousness that is our current political landscape, we’re feeling the imperative to do the work of being artists. Creativity, in all its messiness and curveball transgressions of normalcy, has never been more vitally important.
Among many more, here are five compelling reasons why:
1. Counteracting Alienation and Loneliness with Shared Experience.
In an era of increasing digital isolation – about to go into hyperdrive thanks to AI - live performance creates rare moments of collective presence, where we gather in a shared space to feel, respond, and connect. In person theater, music, and dance provide a cure to what ails us - via community, empathy, and a sense of belonging in a crazily disconnected world. Read more here about how the arts combat loneliness
Martha Enson activating an outdoor space at an event.
2. Reviving Civic and Cultural Spaces.
The pandemic did a number on the business of live performance. Arts venues suffered devastating losses, leading to declining attendance, financial instability, and way too many closures. Now, as audiences tentatively return, investing in the arts is crucial for revitalizing local economies.
HUGE SHOUT OUT to King County’s 4Culture and Seattle’s Hope Corps for committing to this work. EnJoy is grateful beyond words for Sustained Support from 4Culture (enabling us to spend time creating free art for the public), and for funding from Hope Corps (enabling us to pay artists!)
Learn More about the Hope Corps Grant here.
3. Restoring Awe, Beauty, and Optimism in Public Life. The work of performing artists is, in part, to provide an antidote to cynicism and despair by offering moments of transcendence. And no, that’s NOT too grandiose!
Research shows that experiencing awe—whether through music, storytelling, or movement—expands our sense of time, reduces self-focus, and fosters generosity. Look it up! There’s tons of research on this. At a time when anxiety, burnout, and social distrust are at record highs, the arts help reawaken our capacity for wonder, joy, and hope.
Learn more about the link between a flow state, happiness and creativity, here (from the guy who literally wrote the book!).
4. Bucking Fear and Division. From politics to media, society is bombarded with messages that reinforce division, distrust, and fear. The performing arts have the power to counteract these forces by telling humanizing stories, creating spaces for difficult conversations, and inspiring audiences to see beyond ideological divides.
Oh, and laughing and crying – with others - both help in managing fear. Unlike algorithm-driven content bubbles, live performance connects us, IRL, as they say.
Read more about how art brings people together here
5. Disrupting the Status Quo and Sparking Cultural Evolution. Throughout history, the arts have been a disruptive force, challenging dominant narratives, exposing injustice, and pushing society forward. Whether through satire, protest theater, or boundary-pushing experimental work, performance remains a critical tool for questioning norms and reshaping public opinion.
In an age of rapid technological and social change, we are committed to working in the arts - to provoke, unsettle, and expand the way we see the world.
Learn more about art in the age of facism here: here
Kevin Joyce (writer) and Martha Enson as their characters “The Buffoons”
Creativity and the imagination are not luxuries, they are basic human endowments. But like muscles, they atrophy when not used. The arts are no for the privileged few, nor are they the domain of the “creatives”, whatever that means.
The arts are a civic necessity. They remind us of who we are by grounding us in our growing, changing, becoming selves. The arts, writ large, help us lay claim to our individual lives and bring us together – inspiring us to imagine what’s possible. Now more than ever, we need them.
We know that creativity isn’t just for the young - it deepens, shifts, and takes on new meaning as we move through life. What role has the arts played in your journey? Have you found your creative practice changing over time? We’d love to hear your stories. Reply in the comments or email us—we read every response!