The Importance of Creativity in our Lives

Kevin Spacey wrote a great article in support of Arts Funding in times of recession which hit one of my current hot buttons. Go Kev. I'm with you all the way (see end of article).

As someone who runs a small arts business with no public or external funding, no sponsorship or support deals I can't praise this article enough. Here, here for self supported arts organisations! Here, here for us injecting joy and skill , confidence and creativity into the world!!

When in London I visit the Old Vic regularly as their programme is second to none and they always show something I want to see. The article got me thinking about what aspects of life we draw on to reflect our society and our individual identity. It's not work for a lot of people. It's not economics for a lot of peole or politics or the difficulties or problems we encounter; But our identity is defined more by our hobbies, interests, the people around us and our personal creativity. I know a ton of brilliant scientists, engineers, bankers, 9-5 workers and IT professionals who love and are dedicated to their work...and they cannot breathe the joy of life if they can't go dancing.

Each and every one of us is creative. All of us are artistic. We're not all famous. We're not all earning our keep from it. We're not all in the pubic eye or focussed on our creativity, but everyone I know enjoys either dancing, making music, seeing films, enjoying TV, drawing, knitting or creating a craft, seeing a play, musical or exhibition, taking a photograph, trying to juggle, act, sing, flip or doing something to challenge their creative spirit and thinking.

Come budget time however, the Arts is the last thing left on the hand out plate. Whenever we reflect on our times, contemporary culture, film, TV, literature, the arts is the first thing to go in the time capsule to be buried, as it gives great understanding of who we are. Ah the irony.

Sport would not be where it is without the funding it receives. The performing arts, the visual arts, the literary arts. These fields are the stuff of life. they give life to knowledge, history, science and all manner of our society. Even sport and politics. Who would think Paul Keatings' career would be summarized in the hugely successful "Keating the Musical!". Stories of history and documentaries informing are told through film to millions of people who may not otherwise access this knowledge. How can they think the arts is not important? In times of recession "good feel" films are needed. CD sales go up. How can they think the arts is extravagant and superfluous. I simply don't understand it.

And me? I run Swing Patrol. We teach swing dancing (1940's jitterbug) in Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania and London. We teach anyone who wants to dance, to dance (and some who do not wish to dance or learn too...) Adults discover themselves and build confidence, self esteem and physical and mental flow on the dance floor.
It's physical,
Its sensual,
It's emotional, striking and challenging and they make and/or break themselves on the dance floor. All the celebrities who have done "Dancing with the Stars' have spoken of these aspects of their dance which has seen already successful people "finding themselves" in new ways.

We give people who have never performed in front of an audience the terrifying chance to do so. Its amazing to watch every year, people practicing, getting nervous as they've never put themselves on the line like that before. One woman brought her whole netball team along to watch her dance a routine. It was just amazing. I know the feeling Kevin Spacey had watching the kids programmes at the Old Vic. I do exactly that with our nervous very self conscious adults every year. Some of them go on to join our performance troupe, travel the world and attend dance camps meeting new friends and connections and living the kind of life that is really very unbelievable, through their hobby. Others go on to teach or do both holding down a full time job all the way. My company was started by myself and my business partner. It's a user pays system and there is no sponsorship or government support either ongoing or in the form of grants. If we had this kind of funding we could do a lot but i'm proud that we've gone for 10 years, have expanded out and depend on no government or support money. Yes we struggle. Yes, its hard and yes I wonder (quite often) if its worth it, but then I see the dancers and I know.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6251188.e