The Power of the Arts | Winston-Salem, NC

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner in Winston-Salem, NC on April 16, 2019 to discuss the Power of the Arts.

Overview and highlights of our Call to Conversation:

• We all shared depth of life experiences that ignited the fire for the arts, as there is a deeply human experience that the arts instructs within us.
  • Many shared about the influence of people in their lives who drew them into art or supported their pursuits of the arts, including: teachers, parents, family members.
  • Some spoke about how art is and always has been integral to their life, and others discussed how “art didn’t exist in my world growing up”
  • Over the course of the evening, we mentioned many forms of art, including: dance, instrumental music, visual arts, theater, design, writing, architecture, art history, furniture, sculpture
• We spoke of the power and influence of the arts: “All of our lives are permeated by the impact of the arts”
  • The arts are the nourishment for the heart and soul. They allow us to become something, to grow, and to play a role in developing something.
  • The arts are tools to bridge understanding, to bridge disjointed communities. Art is collaborative; it ties together generations. It transcends humanity and brings us together. “We are all in an ensemble together.”
  • Art can motivate people to move from thinking into doing, in spite of our differences. It promotes personal growth and connectivity and causes us to be more curious. The arts are the language of relationships. This is essential when our world is primarily engaged in transactions.
• We talked about the idea of creativity, which is a process that informs decisions apart from the arts and allows us to be comfortable with creative processes and artistic expression. This allows art and business to go hand-in-hand.
• We discussed how the arts relates to risk taking. What empowers us to take the risk to engage in the arts? How can we help enact a culture shift in support of the Arts in Winston-Salem? How can the Arts be a catalyst for societal change, especially in under-served communities? “The arts are not an ancillary indulgence for the wealthy and elite.”
• We spoke of the challenge that exists to overcome the stereotypical mentality of the lack of credibility of the arts as a career — in reality, it’s the creative, collaborative thinking that will lead to outcomes.