Cultures are judged on the basis of their arts. Most cultures and historical eras have not
doubted the importance of including the arts as part of every child’s education. They are
time-honored ways of learning, knowing, and expressing.
Lois Hetland, Harvard University
When adults are asked to think of something they love to do – something they pursue in spare
pockets of time – virtually everyone will identify an activity connected with the arts, the body, or
the natural world (Upitis, 1990; 2010). How are these areas linked? Why are activities associated
with these areas so important to leading balanced and fulfilling lives? What makes these pursuits
so compelling that we continue learning about them even after our formal schooling has ended?