Student Blog: Art is the Engine

Art has always been at the center of my life. It is my first and deepest love. I even got a tattoo that reads “art” because that word sums up what I live for. It represents the way I want to grow, create, and stay connected to what gives me purpose.

But art also stretches far beyond the personal. It keeps whole communities moving. On Broadway, one show can support hundreds of jobs, from stagehands and musicians to marketing teams and ushers. The money that comes in does not stay inside the theatre. It spreads out into restaurants, hotels, and transportation. Every ticket sold is more than a seat filled. It is energy flowing through an ecosystem that keeps everything alive, an idea I started exploring in my Arts Nonprofit class at Oklahoma City University. Learning to see the arts as a system of interconnected roles and resources has shifted the way I think about theatre and the people who make it possible.

At the same time, art is not only about money. Theatre, music, and visual art give people ways to understand each other, to feel recognized, and to see the world differently. A play can make someone laugh, cry, or rethink what they believe in ways numbers cannot explain. Even in hard times, people turn to art. That proves it is not optional. It is essential. The more I study arts management, the more I realize it is the heartbeat of it all. It is what directs the flow of money, time, and talent so that the creative work can survive. Without it, a show might never move past an idea. Management is not the opposite of creativity. It is what allows creativity to keep breathing.

It has also made me think about what kind of environment I want to support. If resources only flow to large commercial shows, then the system becomes fragile. But smaller productions, experimental work, and student projects are where future ideas grow. They are nurseries of talent. They are necessary for the survival of the whole. That is why arts management matters so much to me right now. It is not just paperwork. It is shaping the future of what art can be. The arts matter in both real and personal ways. They create jobs and drive local economies, but they also bring people together and give space for reflection and imagination. They remind us that value is not only measured in money. Even in crisis, the arts prove their strength. When theatres closed during the pandemic, people still found ways to create and share performances online. The form changed, but the need for art never went away.

I know you have probably heard people say “the arts are important” countless times. But here is why I keep circling back to it. Art is not just what we consume. It is the current that keeps whole systems alive, and it is also the thing that gives our lives meaning. If there is one thing I can pass on, it is this. Pay attention to the systems that make art possible. Support them. Respect them. Notice the managers, the crews, the overlooked pieces that hold the whole thing together. Because art is not only what you see on stage. It is the network of people and choices and risks that allow art to exist at all. That is why I am proudly majoring in Entertainment Business with focus and purpose, so I can help sustain what I love and ensure it continues to thrive.