A wise man once said: “The merit of any given university can be assessed by its appreciation for the arts”.
Well, okay, I might have just made that up. But a wise man probably did say that at some point, and at the very least, it’s mostly true.
As the matter stands, the arts are integral to the culture and community of the ANU. Sure, we might not superficially match our chai-drinking, scooter-riding hipster brethren in Melbourne; nevertheless, in the heart of each and every Canberran lies a similarly hipster outlook, an existential angst, a desire for creative self-expression, or even just ‘to be understood, man’. The arts provide this for us.
Band night. The Inter-Hall Musical. All of the concerts and exhibitions, put by the Schools of Art and Music. Between all of the Thursday nights which don’t quite reside in memory anymore, these were the moments which kept us alive throughout 2011, which helped us move on, starry-eyed and brightly disposed, to our tutes and lectures. It’s not even a problem that most of us might not have actually been performing, or even worse, may not have actually attended; what is important is that we know somebody out there is pouring their heart out in a Shakespearean soliloquy, or that at least one group of bored Engineering students has probably pieced together a small orchestra to play music from The Legend of Zelda.
Imagine a university life where we don’t have the arts. Seems pretty lame, huh? That is why implore each and every one of us needs to take heed, to actively assist in letting the arts take life, rather than to just passively absorb their succulent goodness. The reality is, the arts are being overshadowed in the university’s latest bid to become a ‘leading research institution’. If we don’t keep pushing our creative drives, the university may very well become just a barren wasteland of academics and bored IR/Law students. That’s no fun for anyone.
So keep the ANU’s spirit burning: make the effort to support student productions, and to check out whatever funky creative endeavours are on offer at any stage. Better yet, put yourself up as a performer: first years in particular, check out all the artsy stands on Market Day, audition for any play you see, or simply write a fanciful poem or two for the Woroni! It’s all here, and the possibilities are endless. And just remember, in letting the arts live, what is really alive is life itself: in helping the arts, you are helping you.
