How Does Art Influence People?

Art, whether it's visual or the performing arts, has a very profound effect on people. Art has shaped and inspired thousands of years of civilization, as made evident by the countless museums, galleries, theaters and venues around the world to this day. Art effects each person differently, which is the true beauty of art.

Art, whether it's consumed in a theater, museum, gallery or store, often influences people to become artists and create art themselves. Art can serve as inspiration to awaken the imagination, talent and skill hiding in someone. It can unlock your fears and insecurities about creating and push you toward picking up a paintbrush or a camera. Art can ignite the passion to create something of beauty and importance, to be included in the community of artists who've inspired you and contribute to that which you find inspiring.

Art is often used in advertising. Iconic images such as the infamous Uncle Sam "I Want You for US Army" poster, Aunt Jemima on maple syrup bottles, Tony the Tiger on the Frosted Flakes cereal boxes all contribute to getting attention and people to join organizations and buy products. The recognition and fame of these images far surpass the number of people who have used these products or joined the organizations, thus demonstrating the wide-reaching influence of art in advertising.

People are often awed and enamored with art to the extent that they want to attend school to study their craft just as their predecessors did. There are schools and classes all over the world for every discipline of art, including drawing, graphic design, music composition, sculpture and opera, that can be taken to hone the skills you already possess and develop the ones that you don't. While everyone may not go onto become a famous artist, there is still the possibility of becoming far more learned at an art you admire.

Art often influences people to donate money to the arts to ensure the people creating it have the resources to do so. Patrons of the arts, as they're often referred to, donate money to organizations such as the The New York Metropolitan Opera, where the money is allocated to both productions and the upkeep of the facilities that house them. Patrons of the arts are also known to act as benefactors to specific artists whom they'd like to support financially, enabling the artist to dedicate the whole of her time and energies to creating art.

Art influences people by inspiring them. Inspiration affects everyone in different ways, but hearing a specific song or seeing a specific sculpture may rekindle an old memory and motivate someone to reach out to an old friend or lover. Seeing a painting of a foreign place once visited may inspire someone to return to that destination. Seeing a musical or opera my inspire someone to take up singing lessons so he can sing along with his favorite piece in the car. That's the magical thing about art--everyone experiences it differently, and therefore, it influences everyone differently.