. THE ARTS AND ARTS EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT because they: • have a creative interpretative, expressive function; • help us to find out who we are and express who we are. Somehow they cut across all social barriers; • are a very powerful way to express ourselves and to be understood; • are important as a means of cultural understanding; • educate the heart; • are one of the most potent ways to create empathy; • develop creativity; however there are dangers of talking about the arts in this way because they do not have a monopoly on developing creativity; • are important because they have been part of civilisation for a long time; they provide a cultural background to understand the past; • can help young people and adults learn about our collective histories; • are a tool for social change because they educate people about important issues; • teach individuals to become artists, helping them to “create” their lives by acquiring and using observational, a...