Culture generates social capital and strengthens the character of a community. Art brings people together physically in galleries, museums, performance spaces and culturally, through its ability to tell the shared story of a community, inspire reflection and establish connections that transcend differences. Art can be a shared experience between all people, regardless of their background, politics or culture. Art can be beneficial in many different ways.
University College London conducted an experiment that showed that just looking at paintings increased blood flow to the brain by 10%. Which is equivalent to looking at the loved one. Another study conducted by neurologists in Germany demonstrated that artistic creation can improve functional connectivity within the brain, as well as increase psychological resilience. Both creating and observing art can create healthier and happier beings. This can be useful for everyone involved, as a happier person is more likely to be friendly and inclusive.
Many communities in southwestern Minnesota have begun to believe in this value of art and have participated in art projects and programs to create community unity and civic commitment. Over the past decade and a half, the Wallace Foundation has worked with dozens of experienced arts organizations and researchers to better understand the effective strategies that arts organizations can use to create audiences. Meeting to bring together works of art from different places is a declaration of life so as not to create more borders between people, especially between artists who need to express their art in every corner of the country, from South America to North America. This is a far cry from the commonly heard idea that the arts are elitist, and suggests, at a minimum, that residents' perception of a community's artistic and cultural offerings is correlated with their sense of connection with that community.
