Why the Arts Do Matter

As a Deaf person, I grew up straddling the fence between two worlds – the speaking world and the signing world. Communicating was never easy, especially with the speaking world of which I was expected to adhere to their expectations as well as live under a different set of expectation with the signing world as well. The barriers were countless – in everyday life from school to work to the community and everything in between.

Then art comes in the picture and changed everything.
What I perceived as barriers is slowly eradicated through art. For me, art includes writing; reading, acting; directing; coaching ASL interpreters for the theatre, arts and crafts projects – the possibilities are endless. 

Writing gave me a channel in which I could express myself on a neutral ground – free from language barriers for the most part, free from three-way communication process prevalent in the speaking world. What I could not express through vocal or manual (sign language) methods, I could express through paper-and-ink. 

Reading is my first true love. What I did not pick up from incidental learning opportunities that did not exist, I picked up through reading. Books oftentimes became my best friends when I needed a friend. It boosted my creative side as well as taught me how to function in society at large. From Peter Pan to Mary Poppins to Harry Potter, books have always been there for me. 

Acting gave me the chance to slip on a mask and be someone else. Being on the stage gave me the opportunity to outgrow my shyness and develop confidence in myself – and reinforce the idea that ‘all the world’s a stage’ and that anything was possible. That confidence seeped to my everyday life for the better. 

Directing and coaching ASL interpreters gave me a better understanding of the written/spoken languages than I ever acquired in the public education system. 

Working with hands-on arts and crafts projects was both a mental and emotional release – sure, I couldn't hit someone but I could smash the Play-Doh creations around into something representing my emotions. 

Music – as a Deaf person, this is a paradox – but music is one of my favorite forms of art. With musicals, I see the music through the dancing, the acting, and the body language. 

Art allows me to express myself in multiple visual and aural modes with overlapping possibilities in order to better understand the message being delivered.

Art - is a neutral ground that everyone can have a level playing field, and that is why I embrace the arts. Through art, we use it as a bridge to everything - communication, education, work, and life. 

What does art mean for you?