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Do The Arts Have a Future?

Last night I went to an awesome CalShakes rendition of Romeo and Juliet.  Instead of focusing on the tragedy, this R+J was closer to a raunchy comedy. Sample bits included hilarious matrix-esqe slow-mo fight scenes between the Montagues and Capulets and Mercutio pretending to eat out Juliet's nurse (seriously).  Slower moving scenes from the original text were edited out, leaving a condensed version that was easier to digest.  It was a decision obviously made to appeal to a younger audience, a wise one which I hope will achieve the desired result of attracting a new generation of  theater-goers. Alas, the majority of audience were still in the over 50 bracket with younger people either being part of  student groups or individuals who, by their conversations, seemed to already be actively involved in the arts themselves.  In other words, not many young people seemed to be there purely for entertainment purposes without a vested interest in the material. I wondered to myself: Why does my generation avoid live arts?  For that matter, why does my generation seem to avoid arts as a whole? 

 1.  The Death of Creativity

 Don't get me wrong, self-expression is still alive and well, but it is manifested in ways that inspire little to no creativity.  For example, in the past, a person overflowing with emotion might sit down and compose a poem, a story, or a piece of music to release their joy, anger, or pain.  Opinions on current events inspired essays and speeches.  Now, we head straight to facebook or twitter to post a one-paragraph rant or a hastily-written message board response to an article.  Emotions surge out with little to no thinking involved and it clearly shows.  This leads to my next point:

2. The Short Attention Span

Making and enjoying art takes time.  People don't like that.  They want it short, to-the-point, and NOW.  A good book takes time to read and soak in.  A symphony is long with many movements, each one capturing the essence of an intense emotion.  Studying a painting requires concentration and reflection.  I've asked people whether they've read certain book titles and I've often heard the response, "Well, I didn't read the book but I saw the movie/mini-series.  So, I know the story."  I'm sorry, but saying that is like claiming you know how to cook because you've made a box of mac and cheese.  On the other end, every artist knows how many hours are required to become competent at your craft, hours that few people seem to be able to devote.

3.MONEY

 More and more, the performing arts are becoming a luxury only the privileged can enjoy.  Even amateur music and theater productions regularly sell tickets at $25-$30 apiece.  Want to see professionals?  Be prepared to shell out anywhere from $40 up to $200 (or more!!).  Lack of money is also the cause of arts and music programs being cancelled in schools nationwide.  With no exposure to art, the next generation has no reason or desire to pursue it.  As a result of under-exposure and high prices, young people avoid the arts because they consider them irrelevant and out of their reach.

What do YOU think about the future of art?  Does it bother you?  Please comment!  Also, please check out the page for CalShakes Romeo and Juliet here:

http://www.calshakes.org/v4/ourplays/2013_RomeoJuliet.html

and the Triangle Lab, a program that promotes making art relevant to the community:

http://www.thetrianglelab.org/