Displaying art in cities - Sample

Towns and cities are attractive places. Some people suggest that the government should spend money putting in more works of art like paintings and statues to make them better to live in. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

As more and more people flock to urban areas, there is a sentiment that the authorities should pay to install more works of art within towns and cities to improve their citizens’ quality of life. This is a sentiment that is more or less in line with my point of view.

Living near or around art has been demonstrated to bring considerable benefits to urban residents. Multiple studies have been conducted on the correlation between exposure to the arts, such as through paintings, sculptures, or music, and the human psyche. Evidently, researchers have proven that living among artistic demonstrations measurably increases people’s well-being and improves their mood. What’s more, the findings seem to suggest an innate capacity within all of us to appreciate and enjoy art, that there is an area within our very brains that is specifically wired to connect and resonate with paintings, sculptures and the likes. In light of these revelations, it is irrefutable that the addition of artworks to public areas brings substantial benefits. Nevertheless, there is one potential downside that governments should keep in mind before actually implementing new policies.

The land area in metropolitans is highly limited and valuable, so much so that art installations may take space away from other public projects of benefit. There are other public infrastructure and common recreational facilities that many would regard as essential: parks, green spaces, sports facilities, playgrounds, etc., for instance. Artworks, especially large ones that take up a lot of space, may reduce the available area that city governments can otherwise utilize for these facilities and projects. Nevertheless, I view this as primarily an issue of selection, since many works of art can coexist with these public structures and perhaps even improve upon them. By adding artistic components to existing or future infrastructure, authorities can improve not only the lives of citizens, but also public buildings and facilities.

In conclusion, the proposal for more works of art in common areas is reasonable and beneficial for the human psyche. As the problem of limited space can be solved by incorporating art into existing or future structures, governments should absolutely look into adding more artistic elements to their cities and towns.

(Band 7)