"The Arts. Ask for More" (Guenter)
The Americans for the Arts have initiated the newest phase of their public service announcement (PSA) campaign by developing television ads equating the arts with a healthy diet. These PSAs feature spoofs of "healthy arts food products" like Van Goghgurt with Vincent Van Gogh and Raisin Brahms with Johannes Brahms encouraging parents "to make sure their children are getting their daily serving of the arts." The intent of these is to provide rationales for why the arts are important, inform the public, and "help kids develop creativity and self-expression while emphasizing teamwork, friendship, and exploration."
I think these ads are fabulous and intend to share them with my student teaching classes this week. In my classes we have established the rationales for the arts in K-12 curriculum and the future teachers have worked on developing appropriate lessons to use in their school placements. Seeing and hearing these ads will reinforce what we have been studying and they will share with them with the teachers at their school sites, their families, and friends. The ads give us a common point of reference for discussion, debate, and advocacy.
Certainly we can use these ads as both education and advocacy pieces as we do our day-to-day work and outreach for our colleagues, districts, campuses, and local organizations. We know that the arts are healthy. We know that art education makes us happy. Because these ads are available online, we have a very current and quick way to educate others. Stay healthy!
Television Ads
http://www.americansforthearts.org/public_awareness/the_ads/001.asp
Radio Ads
http://www.americansforthearts.org/public_awareness/the_ads/002.asp
Print Ads
http://www.americansforthearts.org/public_awareness/the_ads/008.asp
Americans for the Arts
http://www.americansforthearts.org/