Arts not a niche interest

Margaret Atwood wrote an article for the Globe and Mail on Thursday that makes a case for the arts in Canada. She explains why 'the arts' isn't just about galas.

It's a great read. Sample:

"My idea of an ordinary person is quite different. Human beings are creative by nature. For millenniums we have been putting our creativity into our cultures - cultures with unique languages, architecture, religious ceremonies, dances, music, furnishings, textiles, clothing and special cuisines. “Ordinary people” pack into the cheap seats at concerts and fill theatres where operas are brought to them live. The total attendance for “the arts” in Canada in fact exceeds that for sports events. “The arts” are not a “niche interest.” They are part of being human."