CAREERS of the future may be centred around maths, science and technology, but as the Alan Sisley Annual Oration approaches, there’s no one like the late Mr Sisley to remind us about the importance of the arts.
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The arts are so often easy to cast aside amid worries about job security and a flatlining economy - even the scaling in the Higher School Certificate indicates they’re a luxury because music and visual arts marks can be scaled down or even removed in favour of higher-weight subjects when ATARs are calculated.
But they’re far from a luxury.
Producing music or works of art or craft is often done in groups and no concert would work unless this was the case - they’re an opportunity to socialise, to share and to grow and they’re a great equaliser because even those who don’t have the skills to be musicians or artists can still enjoy it.
Providing spaces for these activities, through the Orange Readers and Writers Festival and also like Mr Sisley did by honing Orange Regional Gallery’s role, means they extend beyond the school years and people enjoy the benefits far into adulthood.
That’s not to say that the traditional subjects aren’t important - Mullion Creek Public School is certainly showing that with their enthusiasm for numbers - and their practical application in everyday life is beyond question.
But only so much of our lives can revolve around work, and we are so fortunate to have these events and facilities at our disposal so that we may be able to truly enjoy life to its fullest.
