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Arts: Social Bonds and Community Cohesion

On Wednesday evening, The Arts Department at St. Clement’s held its annual Sights and Sounds of Spring. This evening is an opportunity to showcase our music, dance and visual arts. Beyond simply showcasing our students’ work, this event highlights the importance of the Arts in education as well as our faculty’s expertise. Fran Smith’s article in Edutopia  while based on United States and fairly political, offers a timely message on the importance of Arts education.

Fran Smith, citing several sources in her article says:

Arts learning can improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts (1) argues that the intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual’s life — according to the report, they “can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing,” creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion.

How can one argue with this?

At St. Clement’s we are guided by our mission: to develop outstanding women who are intellectually curious, courageous and compassionate. As I wandered in our foyer admiring our students’ graphic design, drawings, photography and reflections, I marvelled at their wisdom, their evident curiosity and their courage to share such provocative work. As I sat and listened to our choirs and bands, I was thrilled to witness the focus and collaborative skills our girls possess. As I watched our girls dance with passion and energy, I smiled at their confidence and talent. Perhaps even more importantly, I loved seeing our girls supporting and celebrating each other’s successes.

Wednesday night was a wonderful celebration of the Arts- and also highlighted our Clementine community. Art truly does support the forging of social bonds and community cohesion!

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