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Arts Arts education may have bottom line benefits

Most people agree that in order to be successful in business, a person should be well-educated in business administration, finance and his or her area of expertise.

But when it comes to an education in the visual arts, many college students scoff at the idea. Some believe it’s frivolous coursework that will never translate to their future earning potential.

Sadly, this notion is supported by some legislators who focus cuts in funding on arts programs.

As a patron of the arts, I think an understanding and appreciation for the arts can be a valuable personal asset to students, regardless of the career they pursue after graduation. But as a career-oriented educator, I have also seen how exposure to the arts creates bottom line benefits.

For example, studying the art of a foreign culture can help a company market more effectively to that population. This has become more important now that technology and globalization has allowed the smallest of companies to conduct international business online.


– Web Sites Can Be Culturally Sensitive

When these companies construct Web sites catering to prospective foreign clients, they must be sure that their graphic arts and color choices are tasteful and appeal to that culture.

For example, when an American-based airline began offering service to China, it gave its business passengers a white carnation as a courtesy. This is what the airline had always done with its American passengers, and the gesture was appreciated by business people in the United States.

However, if the airline’s marketing department had done its homework in the visual arts, it would have known that in Asian art and culture, white flowers symbolize death and mourning. Not exactly confidence-inspiring in the airline’s new market.

If one studies Asian art, he or she will see a consistent theme of attention to detail and the importance of harmony. This provides valuable clues about the Asian business culture.

When students analyze traditional African art, they will find that it is focused on various societal processes, such as seasonal rituals and life passages. It also easily alludes to the spirit world, which is more vivid and integrated into daily life than in Western culture.

An American business would be well-served to know these cultural values before making a presentation or marketing a product to the people of these regions.

I know a successful attorney in San Diego who is also a great believer in arts education. He says that putting together a good case is similar to how Vincent Van Gogh painted his masterpieces.

The example he uses is Van Gogh’s famous haystacks. He says that when one looks at the painting from afar, it just looks like a beautiful painting, but upon closer examination a person can see that some shades of the purple sky are subtly integrated into the haystacks and colors from the haystack are subtly ingrained into the sky.

He uses the same strategy in putting together a cohesive, and indeed artfully argued, case.

Art reflects life within the culture of the artist. The better one understands that culture, the better equipped he or she will be able to manage a team, or even an individual career.

It is true that understanding cultural icons, and appreciating artistic techniques, can help a person live a richer life. But it can also pay practical dividends in helping to market their products, their ideas or their selves in the global and local marketplace.

Diamond is the director of Student Services at Platt College of Design in San Diego.

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