Students across the country are grappling with difficult feelings, situations and events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are no easy solutions. A national study published in November found that over 80 percent of young adults reported a decline in mental health during the two months after the start of the pandemic.
But arts education has the power to emotionally and academically rebuild students — and the world around us.
At the start of this crisis, I saw people in need of a way to heal, and I knew using our imagination was a solution. When I realized I had the tools to aid those around me, I started an online, student-run organization called The Art Hour providing free visual and performing classes for students from the Los Angeles area and beyond. Most students learn about our classes through word of mouth, through social media, or through their school. We give students a platform to express themselves and indulge their imaginations. They make glitter and sparkle costumes inspired by Nick Cave’s “Soundsuits,” act out fantasy worlds to inhabit, and dance with the zeal of prima ballerinas. Teaching young students across the country how to take charge of their own narratives showed me the power the arts hold.
Art has the power to heal students’ trauma and rebuild our economy in the wake of the pandemic. Arts education is necessary to rebuild our society and country. We can use art to reshape our society and culture in a way that is more equitable, and in doing so we can rewrite our own legacy.
To read more of Arlene Campa's article, please click here.
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