I’ve worked as a non-profit arts and culture administrator and manager for most of my career, and believe that access to artistic and cultural programming is a critical component for high quality of life and health and wellness of communities and individuals. But many people do not have access to high-quality artistic and cultural programs, and there are many factors that work against their ability to gain access. Therefore, I work every day to ensure that as many people as possible, especially young people, have access to arts and cultural programming so that they can experience the benefits of such engagement and live more fulfilled and connected lives.

Growing up, I was taught to blend in, to not be unique, to comply and obey. I was expected to measure up just to the middle, but never beyond. When I went into high-school, void of a true self-identity, I spiraled into a depression. I was socially awkward, without a circle of friends, and unsure of what I believed in.

In the middle of my 9th grade chaos, I walked into a semi-dark theatre one day. It was lunchtime, and hot in the way that September Southern California days tend to be, and I needed somewhere cool to eat my greasy school cafeteria pizza. I didn’t have grand plans for lunch period that day. What awaited inside, though, was something I never anticipated, a group of kids just as awkward, socially maladjusted and unsure of the world as me. But they were owning it; they were pure magic! They were theatre nerds. And I wanted to be just like each and every one of them. Becoming my own brand of theatre nerd literally changed my life – I was able to carve out my own individuality and grow my confidence and joy. My depression slipped away and I began to understand the world in a way that made sense for me. Theatre, the arts in general, literally saved my life.

Today, fewer and fewer people (especially young low-income individuals) have access to the arts. This is troubling since a 2012 National Endowment for the Arts Study found that “eighth graders who had high levels of arts engagement from kindergarten through elementary school showed higher test scores in science and writing than did students who had lower levels of arts engagement over the same period (Catterall, Dumais, & Hampden-Thompson, 2012).” I know for personal experience that arts access and participation are directly tied to student achievement and are shown to improve physical and psychological well-being (Guetzkow, 2002). Armed with this knowledge, I work every day to ensure that as many people as possible have access to arts and culture programming, especially kids like me who are on the fringes and unaware of their unique power in the world. I strive to make sure they find a lens that helps them make sense of their society, and express themselves in relation to it. Moreover, I recognize that individuals’ resources that allow them to participate in the arts and cultural programs are disparate. So I also work proactively to take art to people, instead of waiting for them to come to the experiences. I am a relentless advocate within my organization for programs that eliminate access barriers for people who don’t regularly engage, especially children and teenagers.

The challenge: we exist in a world where the arts and cultural programs are seen more and more as a luxury and commodity for the wealthy and not a necessary part of our lives or important to our well-being, making buy in for access more and more difficult (Cole, 2012). We have to overcome this mindset in order to begin to bridge the gap for those that need arts experiences the most, and we must begin to move the agenda toward deeper investments in arts and culture educational programs.

Public support and funding for art and culture continue to decline – for example, my home state of Georgie ranks last in the country for arts funding per capita (National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, 2014). The advent of the internet and digital platforms, cost of production and lack of relevancy undercut efforts to build buy-in for arts participation. And a culture of elitism drives an “us” and “them” climate that limits opportunities for those that are underserved.

There continue to be great examples of champions for arts access. Philanthropic leaders like the Metro Atlanta Arts Council in Georgia continue to lay the framework for how organizations should be thinking about inclusion, and step up to put their money where their mouth is. The National Endowment for the Arts Creativity Connects initiative pushes the industry to consider how the arts can be incorporated into everyday experiences. And states like New York, that have prioritized arts and culture as pillars of development give us a glimpse for what is possible for economic growth when investments are made in artists and arts organizations.

Getting people, especially young people, access to high-quality programming requires an understanding of its importance, a belief in its ability to improve quality of life, and an understanding of the quantifiable benefits of arts engagement. But most people aren’t aware of what the arts can do for folks, and certainly don’t prioritize its necessity. I am committed to ensuring that my organization works to first educate people about the importance of arts and culture participation, and then provides a plethora of opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate with programming, regardless of the limitations that they may experience.

We celebrate our success every year when my organization, The Serenbe Institute, not only presents great art in our place (Serenbe), but also takes arts and culture programs to non-traditional venues within communities that don’t currently have engagement opportunities. Our impact is measured in not only the number of participants who can afford to engage, but also in the number of people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to engage, or access to arts programming.

The arts are critical – they capture the essence of who we are as a society and allow us to become more empathetic and engaged people. They bring us together and highlight our similarities over our differences. They heal. They affirm. They promote human dignity. They level the playing field for us all. They help people find their magic.

When more people from all walks of life get to experience the power and magic of the arts, we will see a world where they are not treated as a luxury, but as a necessity. As integral to our society as education and human rights. As necessary as water and clean air. We will see that the arts make us more human, and that no individual should be deprived of such a human experience.