Why Making Art is (Still) Important

There are days when the news feels like too much to handle, with political unrest, climate anxiety, and injustice consistently making the headlines. If (like me) you are lucky enough to be able to turn away from these headlines on occasion, it's possible your personal life feels equally overwhelming - perhaps caring for family, struggling with health problems, or just feeling overrun.

In moments like these, it’s natural to ask: Why bother to make art when everything feels like it’s falling apart?

The answer? Because art is essential, not a luxury. It connects us to our humanity, offers healing when our hearts are raw, and gives us a voice when words fail. 

When life is uncertain and emotions are hard to name, art gives us a way to speak without speaking. A paint stroke, a few stitches, a photograph, or a piece of music are all ways of saying, This is what it feels like to be me right now. This is the world in which I exist.

Creativity helps us process our emotions, whether that's grief, confusion, anger, or even exuberant joy. It’s a way to reclaim agency when we feel powerless - at the very least, we can control the message we want to send to the world.

Creativity as Self-Care: Nourishing Ourselves

Making art can be an act of refuge. It’s meditative, grounding, and often joyful - it helps us to connect to ourselves, pour back into our own cups so we can then help fill the cups of others. And it doesn’t have to be perfect or public. The point isn’t to impress; it’s to make space for yourself.

Art can be a sanctuary when the outside world feels too much. Even five minutes of creativity can make a difference in your mental wellbeing:

• Have a threaded needle and some fabric scraps ready to go for some intuitive stitching.
• Keep a small sketchbook by your coffee mug and sketch or doodle each morning.

• Write a single sentence in a journal before bed.

• Dance and hum to your favourite song in the kitchen.

• Snap a photo of something beautiful on your daily walk.

These small acts can help create pockets of peace in a chaotic day, leaving us feeling more capable of handling what the world throws at us.

Creativity as Rebellion: Caring for Communities

Throughout history, artists have turned to their craft in times of upheaval: Picasso’s Guernica emerged from the horrors of war and is still today known as one of the 20th century's most powerful indictments against war^[1]. For centuries, women have been stitching secrets into quilts to tell stories and preserve histories that might otherwise have been erased^[2].

^{Seeing Guernica, a favourite artwork of mine since I was 15 years old, whilst visiting the Reina Sofia Museum in Spain.}

Art has long been a tool of resistance, from murals on city walls, to zines handed out at protests, to songs that give courage to movements. You don’t have to be part of a big institution to make a difference. Grassroots, DIY, and community art often carry the most power because they belong to everyone.

When we create, we challenge the idea that fear or oppression can silence us. And if even one person sees what you've created and hears your message, you could instil hope in that person - and perhaps they'll inspire someone else, and the ripples will continue outward.

Art is for all.

Many of us were taught that only “good” artists get to make art. But creativity is not for the lucky few - it belongs to everyone. So even if you don't think you can create the perfect piece, make it anyway. Honesty matters more than perfection. Your art doesn’t have to be polished to be meaningful, it just has to be yours.

So, why make art when the world feels messy, uncertain, or even dangerous?

Because creation is an act of hope. When we stop making art, it’s like saying there’s no point in lighting a candle in the dark. But when we keep creating, we insist that light is still possible.

So do pick up your sewing needle - or pen or paintbrush or camera - whatever calls to you. The world needs your vision, and your courage. The world needs your art.