Establish a National Artist Appreciation Day

As Michelle Obama said so elegantly, “The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it. Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.” The arts enrich our culture, define our history, foster our empathy, and challenge our creative innovation as a nation. In recent years many advocates have arisen to support the art disciplines in our public education system citing the benefits of an arts-rich education on students’ academic development. The benefits of art pervade far beyond the classroom however into our communities and small businesses, assisting with urban development and economic growth. For many towns and ci