PAR 460 assignment 8

skipping around alittle now, we were faced with the question: How can the arts revitalize urban areas and why this matters.

How can the arts revitalize urban areas? And how is this important? Hmm, well first off it would give kids somewhere safe to go, assuming this would happen at a community center type of facility. And being in a community center it could give people the feeling of family, since most urban areas are broken homes.
It could also used as an outlet for aggression, depression, and happiness. People could dance while other play music. Plays could be presented that are written by community members. All of these would promote creativity in people who wouldn’t necessarily think they can do anything with their lives.
Having never lived in an urban area, I don’t know how widely it is applied but from what I’ve seen on television, many people in these settings are lead to believe they live in a rut and they are destined for nothing. Having somewhere to go and get their thoughts and emotions out in the form of music, dance, or acting would help people feel better; those who performed and those who were to watch.
It’s very important for people to be able to express themselves, it’s unhealthy to keep everything bottled up inside. This would just lead to violence and other unacceptable acts. It would also lead to the deterioration of their health. Stress can cause many chronic medical problems and many people in these situations are either without medical assistance or on state medical assistance which in turn would raise costs of taxes for those not on the program.
Looking at pop culture today, how many hip-hop or R&B artists came from urban neighborhoods: 50cent, Eminem, Sean “Puffy” Combs, T.I., Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliot, Eve, Aaliyah, and Alicia Keys to name a few. Alicia Keys is even a classical trained pianist. But, see what they have become today, I’m sure they all had somewhere to turn to get their thoughts out back in their hometowns.
Many of these artists have even given back to the communities, T.I., for example as a form of community service linked to his recent arrest attempted to change 7 teenagers lives before his march sentencing of gun charges, this was broadcast internationally on MTV’s "T.I.'s Road to Redemption".
You can even look at suburban areas; there are community centers and organizations all over. And these communities don’t have the problems there are in urban areas, perhaps we need to follow the example and try to help these people instead of just looking down on them.
So, yeah, I’d say it’s very important to set up arts revitalization in urban areas, for the good of not just those communities, but for the good of everyone on the planet.