What happened? A ritualist and an arts educator dissect the Inauguration

Like so many others on January 20th I was glued to my screen watching every moment of the tradition of inaugurating our 46th American President. I was struck by the mighty role the arts played in the emotion and ceremony of the day. The many vocal performances, the extraordinary bands, the art work presented and of course the glorious poetry.

Throughout the ceremony I watched dozens of musicians perform in celebration: Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, and Garth Brook were the headliners. The weight of the day was keeping time with the drum major and Marine Band — and can we all stop to talk about Amanda Gorman? Public opinion likely agrees that she ‘stole’ the day with her extraordinary expression of the moment we are in as a nation, the hope for our future and the task that lies before us. The evening of January 20th my social media feed was filled with praise and love for all the artists.

However, I could not help but think about the irony I was witnessing. How do we as a society praise and honor the arts in these moments of tradition yet devalue them in our schools? How do we as a society cut access to the very arts we yearn for and which provide meaning in the most important moments? Where do we think these artists come from? A child does not know they have a gift of song or playing an instrument if they are not provided an opportunity to try it when they are young. How does a child learn they can express themselves through song or poetry if they are not first exposed to it in school? College is much too late for someone to learn who they are artistically.

Our nation is very aware of the need to close the access gap with our students. The arts as well as many other sectors are committed to elevating the voices of BIPOC artists. Cultural organizations are prioritizing producing and commissioning artists of color. Yet our schools are cutting arts programming particularly now faced with CoVid-stricken budgets. When you cut the arts in our underserved communities the likelihood that those students will have access to the arts through private lessons is very low. The cuts in schools are playing a huge part in creating the divide in the arts community that so many organizations are trying to solve.

As a society we need to value the starting point of the arts we love in their final polished forms. We know Jenny is from the Block and started her love of dance at the Boys and Girls Club of Kips Bay. Lin Manuel Miranda has spoken in great length about how essential his school theatre program was in fueling his passion. The arts bring us together- and help us feel deeply. If we want to continue to enjoy and look to them in our time of need and joy we must invest in them — and arts in schools is the only way.

My friend, colleague and ritualist Bill Hulseman offers a wonderful perspective on the importance of the ritual of the day. Read his piece and stay tuned for the dialogue between us that followed.