"Art is a necessity. History has exposed its relevance and we're in a better position to understand this today than ever before."

Ken Danby - October 12, 1979.
From an address presented to the Canadian Society for Education Through Art.

Ken Danby has been an outspoken advocate for the importance of the arts in education for more than twenty-five years. As a member of various boards, including the Canada Council for the Arts, he has lobbied for interest in promoting this cause, and as an individual, he has continued to play an important role in emphasizing this need. As a keynote speaker at many educator conferences over the years, Ken has delivered his message with the continuing hope that he might foster an influence within the system.

In the 1980s, Ken participated as a volunteer member of a special committee created to offer recommendations to the Ontario Ministry of Education - which achieved some modest success in the improvement of Ontario's school curriculum.

In 1998, the Ontario Public School Board Association's magazine, Education Today, published a cover article and interview with Ken, focusing on his concerns for the arts in education.

In 1999, the celebrated interviewer, Pamela Wallin, featured Ken together with the composer, Marvin Hamlisch, in a one hour discussion devoted to their mutually strong advocacy for the arts in education - broadcast on national television.

Ken is a Champion Mentor for the DAREarts Foundation for Children Inc., founded in 1995, to encourage the involvement of young children in the arts. www.DareArts.com

In February of 2001, Ken was the keynote speaker at the British Columbia Art Teachers Association Conference held in Kelowna, B.C. The following are excepts from his address.

"Our greatest asset, as human beings, is our ability to; think, to reason, analyze, anticipate, comprehend, and appreciate our most infinite experiences. It's our brain that gives us this unique ability, and which has actually allowed us to prevail as a species.

As I expect you are aware, the brain consists of two halves, which are virtually mirror images of each other. They are connected and thereby interact. But the functions of these two 'hemispheres' are by no means identical. The left hemisphere controls the movements of the right side of the body and regulates speech, logical thought, mathematical reasoning and just about anything involving language. The right hemisphere, in contrast, controls the left side of the body, as well as artistic creativity, discernment of images, sounds, and all forms of spacial and intuitive thinking. You might say that the left side is a scientist and the right side is an artist.

Of course, this description of defining functions is not 'absolute'. We're still learning. More recently, we've discovered that it's considerably more complex than what I've simply described. But, the principle of these separate functions is an accepted fact of science.

Unfortunately, our educational systems have always placed the major emphasis on subjects which primarily only nurture the left hemisphere.

Relatively speaking, the right hemisphere is largely left to its own resources for development rather than being adequately cultivated and encouraged to play a fully integrated role in our thinking.

When I was a young student - "The Three R's" were regarded as the essential elements of learning - "The Three R's (Reading, Writing & Arithmetic) - imagine, they called these "The Three R's" - but, even as a child I didn't subscribe their paramount importance.

Today, we have a new formula for what's regarded to be essential learning - its the M & S principle - "Math and Science" - and in my opinion, this is just as short sighted as "The Three R's!"

Today, the primary goal of our educational system, appears to be the determination to put a computer in front of every student - when I believe the primary goal should be to teach the students to think and develop as a human beings.

The human condition is not served by our technical ability to transmit a televised image around the world, ... if that image is totally inane.

When you think of the 'arts', what comes to mind? Entertainment? Television? Movies? Music? That's just the tip of the iceberg! Try not to think of the arts as simply 'entertainment'. Try 'involvement'. The arts invite you to be involved and interact. They offer much more than an opportunity to be a spectator. Participate and grow with the arts. As I believe you know, you will be the beneficiary of exhilarating experiences. The arts don't just 'entertain'. They provide a mirror for society. They help us understand 'who' we are. They develop self-expression, self-esteem and confidence, communication and a sense of community. They inspire creativity, responsibility, freedom, tolerance, discipline, spirit, magic, awareness, aesthetics, harmony, and on and on. The list is really endless, but what I've described represents just a few of the attributes which are profoundly influenced and developed by the arts; ... not by math and science.

It is not extreme to identify the arts as being able to stimulate and nurture the senses, the spirit and the interpersonal skills of each of us. It is not extreme to identify these improved faculties as being capable of strongly influencing our ability and willingness to improve our relationships with each other and with the fragility of our environment. It is not extreme, therefore, to say that the arts and their greater inclusion in our educational programs will have a profound influence on the environment, and our empathy for it.

What is extreme however, is the degree of indifference and helplessness that we exhibit; the reluctance to seize the moment and address the need. Much of this is caused by an insufficient awareness and caring. Much of this is also caused by an arrogance and assumption that somehow science will remedy the situation eventually. And more of this is simply the result of our preoccupation with 'fiscal survival' - to indulge our 'perceived' needs - rather than our focus on universal ills.

We do put a lot of faith in science and math, don't we? Of course, we can also be grateful to 'science' for providing us with the indisputable proof that the arts are so influential on our lives, and indeed, how they impact so profoundly in our learning capacities.

Science has now actually 'measured' the results of how this learning curve has been increased. It is able to assess the skill levels in the multitude of disciplines and actually confirm how much these are each influenced and enhanced by the inclusion of the arts within our school programs.

I know that I don't have to remind you about the insights that 'science' has provided toward our understanding of how 'right hemisphere thinking', for instance, or the lack of it, influences our learning and our lives.

But, it appears that the scientific proof is one thing - and the conviction to respond to it is another. Nevertheless, we now have abundant scientific evidence to support our perspective. It remains, for us, to persuade the 'decision makers' of the degree to which this evidence exists - if that will influence their understanding of this issue. Unfortunately, the fact remains that regardless of the importance of the known evidence, the arts are still regarded as being so much entertaining 'fluff', a superficial commodity which isn't a priority in the traditional program of learning.

The politicians, administrators, school board members, bureaucrats, policy makers, and so-called leaders of our society have great difficulty comprehending the degree to which this issue is a priority. After all, I'm sure they believe that the lack of the arts in their schooling certainly didn't handicap their education.

But, this is why it's so difficult to implement such changes. Even if the understanding exists that it would be beneficial, there is no sense of urgency in doing so. And so we're encouraged to accept the status quo for now - with the rationale that perhaps in the future, these issues could be studied further. After all, math and science are the priorities.

Important new evidence shows not only that the arts are beneficial in themselves, but also that their early introduction into a school's curriculum causes marked improvement in math, reading, science, and other subjects that educators pronounce 'essential'. In other words, by 'developing' both sides of the brain, we obviously improve our capabilities in all directions. Indeed, some researchers are even saying the absence of arts programs may, in fact, stifle and retard brain development in children.

As a theory, the benefits of including the arts in education have been promoted for a long time, but now these are facts, proven by science. Isn't it time that we all began to insist on such programs being implemented for the benefit of our future generations? We must develop a more 'balanced' approach to our thinking, if we are ever to cope with society's ills, the hurdles of accelerating development and the fragility of our environment. The quality of our future depends on it.

The degree to which the arts are included in our educational curriculums is totally inadequate for the importance of the subject. The arts are just as necessary, just as important, as math and science as a learning experience.

How can we expect to instill a sense of harmony and pride in ourselves and our communities when we allow developers to run rampant on the land and pummel us with so much ugly, unsympathetic architecture, shopping centres and strip malls plunked down indiscriminately with glaring, repulsive signs and slogans intruding on every dimension of our lives - almost every time we turn around.

So you see, you can easily translate how the arts, and in this case, the visual arts, can have a tremendous influence on our awareness levels, our thinking patterns, our sensitivities and aesthetic judgements; all of which impact on our environment on a continual basis. The extent to which we employ these judgements also impacts on our well-being, both physically and psychologically. We are imposing severe trauma on our state of mind and our spirit at the same time. It isn't necessary. It isn't healthy, and yet we tolerate it.

And how can we expect future generations to avoid repeating the same mistakes? By implementing a fully integrated program of the visual arts in our schools.

The idea that the inclusion of the arts in our curriculum is a rather superfluous and expensive indulgence is obsolete! Whether a school board feels it may or may not be able to afford to add the arts to its curriculum is irrelevant. It should not have any choice.

The reality is that change in this attitude and awareness will take far longer than many of us have hoped. How will it happen? It can only happen through the efforts of people like yourselves and others, who care - and it will take "generations".

I encourage you to spread the word and "beat the drum", and promote the importance of the arts in education."