Since taking office last summer, I’ve spent a lot of time on the road. I’ve traveled to over 80 communities in nearly 30 states, to see for myself America’s vast and varied cultural landscape at work. After my visits, I frequently sketch a memorable image or memory from a community I’ve visited. It’s my personal way of expressing myself, practicing my drawing techniques, and preserving what spoke to me as that community’s spirit and gifts.
As you look through these sketches, you might wonder about a few: A radio control panel? A taco shop? Why are these details worth remembering? Well, that control panel is helping young people develop skills in digital media and technology. That city hall is working to transform its community through public art, affordable housing, and green spaces. And that particular taco shop also showcases sculptures created by the owner from recycled materials, demonstrating the intersection between, food, art, and commerce—all industries whose success is closely linked with creativity.
My point is this: the arts give us a unique lens with which to view our world, and express ourselves. The arts uncover the beauty in seemingly ordinary objects, and help us discover and celebrate the assets within ourselves and within our communities. They can illuminate possibilities in entirely different fields, from healthcare and transportation to agriculture and science. Increasingly, sectors such as these are turning to the arts to solve complex problems, from revitalizing the aging process to communicating the complexities of our galaxy through multimedia installations. With the uniquely creative perspective the arts provide, our society can show us a new angle we never before noticed, a new possibility when all options seemed closed, or a fresh outlook that bucks the trend of business as usual.
As the National Endowment for the Arts prepares to commemorate our 50th anniversary next week, we are committed more than ever to celebrating the unique communities, cultures, and individuals that make the American landscape so rich, so vibrant, and so beautiful. On the eve of our anniversary, I encourage you to peer a little closer at your everyday world, and celebrate the beauty that you find.
