Art & Culture

Art Can Empower Communities

Laura Lee
Mar 22, 2023

Art covers every facet of human life; the outfits we put on our bodies, the houses we reside in, the modes of transportation we use, etc. All of this is achievable with human inventiveness. Besides this, art also has the power to shape our thoughts, contribute to the continuous upgrading of society, bring communities together, and ultimately empower individuals and communities.

Community empowerment is essential because it serves many purposes, such as empowered communities can influence the social and economic sectors to pursue their rights, can meet influential people, broaden their network, and thus build collaboration with other sectors in finding solutions to their problems, etc. while art fulfills this purpose. Art is a place of exploration and success. It is a place where communities may explore and experiment. People take a piece of paper and draw on it, allowing their creativity to flow and their ideas to be manifested. It leads them to build new ideas and perspectives and form their individuality. Gradually, they develop a creative voice and look more attentively at the world and what inspires them. Thus, in the journey of exploration of perception, artwork empowers communities because it leads them to discovery, success, confidence, and satisfaction.

Friends painting mural wall outdoors - stock photo

Getty Images / DigitalVision / Hill Street Studios


Furthermore, it has the potential to empower communities by urging them to stand up against global atrocities. Artwork depicting injustices in the world makes us aware of the ongoing events in the world; thus, it motivates its audiences to get unified and speak out against the injustices, and being united is a powerful force that may bring tremendous difference. Art can also empower communities by giving voice to those who have been silenced about atrocities or by giving someone a sense of support and empathy.

In addition, art is one of the pillars of a developing civilization. It demonstrates a civilization’s aesthetic level and how people have incorporated art into the meaning of their community. Art is used for social experience, expression, enjoyment, function, religious beliefs, symbolism, and individual expression. Thus, these combined characteristics empower communities by collectively influencing how art’s creation, manifestation, and viewing are perceived.