Performing Arts as a Tool for Social Awareness

People like to be entertained and so they indulge in activities that titillate their senses, such as watching theatrical plays or concerts. However, going to these events does not need to only be a venue for self gratification. It can also become an avenue for educating yourself about the issues in our community.

The performing arts have become a vehicle for some to express their sentiments regarding the ills of society. A rising number of artists have shunned the “art for art’s sake” concept and have started using their paintings, songs, and theatrical dramas as mediums of bringing to the public the often unheard voices of the persecuted, the minority, and the forgotten. Social awareness can now be achieved by politically and socially significant demonstrations that are artistically interwoven into a performance which is presented at the public park, town plaza, or any easily accessible public venue. There are also artists who stage concerts to raise funds for humanitarian organisations through the proceeds of the event and by calling the audience to act in supporting the cause.