The importance of the arts in general education

A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for.

— Robert Browning, 1855

About 2,400 years ago, Plato wrote, "Music and dance are more potent instruments than any other for education because the rhythm and harmony find their way in the inward places of the soul."

Painting, sculpting, writing, dancing, music, acting, all of the arts, help us to express our thoughts and feelings. They provide us with tools for coping with — and changing — the social landscape. The arts are a connection between history and today. The arts are an ongoing exploration of who we...