LIFEWTR, the water brand that focuses on showcasing sources of creativity, has recently launched #BringArtBackToSchools–a campaign aimed to bring arts programs back into classrooms despite the huge funding cuts public schools now face. To inspire young children about the importance of art within public schools, LIFEWTR has enlisted mother and prominent actress Lucy Liu. Luckily for us, we were able to sit and talk with Liu about what this cause means to her as a mother and an actress, and as an artist herself.
Liu is a product of the New York City public school system, and she credits her artistic side to what she learned while enrolled. “I think there’s no limit to what you can do with art and what it means,” Liu says. “It’s been really wonderful to promote with LIFEWTR and advocate art in schools. Over 80 percent of the arts programs have been cut, and I think that’s a shame. Art is an outlet for people, especially kids, for them to express themselves outside of STEM, science, or math.” More than simply learning new skills, art provides a sense of community. When Liu visited a sixth-grade class last week to talk about the importance of art, she noticed this feeling of togetherness. “I really felt a sense of community,” she says. “The expression of the kids themselves with their pieces was wonderful, and they were even talking about how they only have one art class a week, which isn’t enough.”
Liu also brings this love and gratitude for the arts into her own home with her son. “I always put up anything he’s drawn or painted just to show and encourage him that anything he does is important and to express that,” she says. “And that it doesn’t have to be this massive art project to make it special.” She feels that letting children explore various hobbies on their own lets them discover more about who they are and who they want to be when they grow up. She notes that “one thing is important, which is to not allow them to stop being who they are.” Liu thinks it’s vital for her son to be free and to express himself, especially on paper or really any way he wants.
LIFEWTR also created a film to illustrate this giant problem within the educational sector: It highlights all the good arts does for children, and even adults. “I love that they showed the struggle for adults and how freeing it was for children,” Liu says. “For parents, you want your kids to grow and for them to grow in a healthy environment: You need them to have both sides of the brain working and moving at the same time.”
Not only can you watch the video, but you can also get involved by sharing your own story of how the arts have affected your life. Also, if you type in your zip code with the hashtag #BringArtBackToSchools on Twitter, your school may be selected to receive art supply kits!
To learn more, visit lifewtr.com.
