I considered putting this in the lounge, but it has to do with creativity and art programs, so I figured the creative zone would be the right place for it. I just wanted to know how other people felt about art programs in local schools. Like, in theory I'm all for it, but in practice I didn't have the best experience with the art programs. They weren't bad experiences, exactly, but certainly frustrating, and I think that if I wasn't already into things like drawing, drama, and music, then my school experiences really wouldn't have pulled me in all that much. The classes themselves were great, but it was the additional things that made it feel kinda frustrating. I wasn't considered a music student because I wasn't in jazz band (I had no interest in doing jazz band, because it's not my favorite genre), I wasn't a drama kid because I wasn't in improv club (I love acting and being on stage because I'm told exactly what to do and how to do it, and that's not how improv works), and I wasn't one of the big art students because while I'm a decent artist, where I truly thrive is drawing anime and cartoons, which people don't view to be nearly as impressive as brilliant still-life drawings. I still love doing these things, but I am really disappointed that I wasn't able to find a community with the other art people in school, just because I didn't do them in the traditional ways. (I think I just wanted a place to rant for a bit. I'm still a little bitter about some things that happened, and could probably go on a tangent on a couple of them, but I'll shut up for now).
I honestly hated my schools' insistence upon forcing art upon students. I agree that it should be strongly encouraged, but for some people the ability to create art adds nothing to their life and by extension adds nothing to society. That's why I don't make art and don't want to make art, because that ability would add no value to my life. Because it adds no value to my life, I don't do it, and because I don't do it, it my art education adds nothing to society, which means taxpayer money was wasted on me. Do I sound like a grumpy old man yet? In middle school I was able to get past art by doing music instead (which I no longer do, and that's fine with me), but not so in high school. I took freshman and sophomore art, hated every minute of it and made nothing I was proud of, and 99% gave up on being a visual artist until a few months ago when I realized finally it-has-no-value-to-me and I gave up the last percent of hope. And that's okay: I now have the option to decide for myself to not do it. The encouragement is great, but no thank you on the requirement.
I actually completely forgot that it's required to take some kind of art classes in high school, because they're classes I would have taken anyways. I'm now even more frustrated with the art programs in schools. If they're going to force kids to take these classes, then why not make sure they're worth doing? Like, the high schools in my area (I never went to them, but my siblings have, so I've heard a lot from them). They have band, but not an orchestra, so if you want to play an instrument, you're limited on your options. Even worse, their band class doubles as a marching band, so if you're taking band, you have to do the marching bit, which I'd never been interested in. And while they have a drama class, the school doesn't actually have a drama program, so only the kids who are in the specific class are able to perform a play at school (no musicals though, even though most 'drama' kids are more into musicals than plays). If you're going to force kids to do something, at least give them enough options of that something that they'll still be able to choose something that they may at least somewhat enjoy.
