Visual art is a universal tool for communication and understanding, a fundamental expression of the human spirit. Before there were numbers or alphabets, there was art. Whether we are practitioners, members of the audience, or consumers, art touches our lives in some way every day.
Contemporary research confirms that education in the arts plays a vital role in the development of cognitive skills. Literacy in the language of arts both facilitates and enhances the understanding of other subjects. Because today information accessibility and communication are becoming increasingly more immediate, higher levels of thinking and processing are more critical than ever. In a world where virtual realities are becoming more the norm than the exception, unique visions affirm life and the individual. Visual art crosses social, economic, and cultural boundaries and, more than ever before, creates an atmosphere where diversity is appreciated and fostered.