Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and this money could be better spent elsewhere.

Art

has been a core part of human culture since the advent of humankind. Over centuries

art

evolved from paintings in caves to various forms

such

as murals, dance , now digital arts and much more. In historic times, kings will bring in artists from various parts of the world to their kingdoms. Nowadays governments spend a lot of

money

to build museums,

art

districts and various forms of artistic endeavours.

However

, a big question remains is the

money

spent on

art

by the

government

waste? Those arguing that

money

is spent on

art

, often cite how it could be better used to invest in other socio-economic

causes

such

as education or low-cost development.

This

will return to the overall growth of the nation and solve problems for basic needs. I would argue the above rationale is short-sighted.

Art

, not only brings new economic opportunities to a nation but

also

enriches the culture & history of humankind.

Art

as an economic tool has been used for many centuries. Governments now dedicate funds to bring in artists to beautify cities and set artistic districts. An example is Jersey City, where the

government

heavily invested in Mural arts and set up an

art

district.

This

led to rapid growth and urbanisation for not only the downtown Jersey City area but

also

neighbourhoods.

This

led to an increase in economic opportunities and gave the

government

more funds to invest in other socioeconomic

causes

due to increased tax revenue. Based on the above arguments, I will conclude that

government

investment in the arts is not only a huge socio-economic boost for the citizens but

also

a part of our history. The rationale that the

government

could have spent

money

on other

causes

is short-sighted as an investment in

art

provides revenues that are funnelled for those

causes

.