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Artistic exposure

Art connects people to nature and the world around them, says nine-year-old Phoebe Kine. The Grade 4 St. Bernard’s School student said art also allows minds young and old alike to create their own vision of the world and how they see it.
 
Art connects people to nature and the world around them, says nine-year-old Phoebe Kine.

The Grade 4 St. Bernard’s School student said art also allows minds young and old alike to create their own vision of the world and how they see it.

"You can design it by your own ideas," said Phoebe, after portraying a robot in an interpretive dance routine on Thursday at the Community Auditorium, part of the Community Arts and Heritage Education Project’s seventh annual Arts Fiesta, a show designed to draw students into the world of art, the written word, theatre and dance.

"You’re doing a lot of stuff that you wouldn’t normally be doing. And it was really fun to do it," Phoebe said.

Lila Cano, CAHEP’s hardworking executive director, said the program is aimed at kids in Grades 4 through 6, and brings artists into the classroom and give students free rein on the creation and scope of their project.

Cano said it’s crucial to expose preteen children to the world of art, to help them develop an appreciation while they’re young.

"I think where you need to start children to understand the need and love of art in all its forms is when they’re young," Cano said. "They will be your future supporters of your symphonies, your theatres and your art galleries, and they will understand viscerally why art is important and why they need it in their lives; why they need to eat, breathe, sleep and dream art."

Art is important not because of what it represents, she added, but because of the lessons it teaches people, especially at the grade-school level.

"It has children working together in a non-competitive environment. They work with collaborators, they’re problem solvers, they’re using critical thinking skills. They are the deciders, the decision-makers in their own choices, so you’re creating thinkers, not followers."

Often the first subject put on the chopping block when education budget cuts are discussed, Cano said it’s a mistake to write off the artistic world as unimportant and unnecessary in schools.

Thankfully, she said, that’s starting to change, if ever so slowly.

"I think more and more they’re starting to realize that children and adults, youth, whatever, who have a connection to the arts, they just can function better in a lot of different ways," Cano said.

Students saw or performed in 12 stage acts, and then took a tour of artistic pieces created by their peers and displayed in the Auditorium lobby.

Phoebe decided to leave the political discussions to the adults. For her, Thursday was all about enjoying herself.

"We got to do what we wanted to do, in front of a lot of people, and we didn’t really need to be doing anything, but what you wanted to do," she said.


Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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