Celebrating Creativity
Countries all around the world celebrate World Art Day on April 15th each year through different cultural events – including exhibitions, concerts, and workshops. For example…
In Spain, World Art Day is celebrated with the presentation of the National Fine Arts Awards, which honors outstanding artists and cultural institutions.
In Italy, many museums and galleries offer free admission on this day to encourage people to explore the arts.
In Japan, people are encouraged to learn more about traditional Japanese art forms, such as calligraphy and ikebana, as well as contemporary art.
It’s a day that year after year brings people together – even those who don’t normally participate in the arts – and shines a light on the power of creativity and artistic expression.
So how did it begin?
The idea for World Art Day was first proposed at the 17th General Assembly of the International Association of Art in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1950.
The proposal was put forward by Mexican artist, Gabriel Fernández Ledesma, who suggested that a day be set aside each year to celebrate the arts worldwide.
After the proposal was accepted, April 15th was chosen as the date for the celebration, in honor of Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday (as he is considered one of the most influential figures in the world of art).
Some of Leondardo Da Vinci’s most famous paintings and drawings include:
- The Mona Lisa
- The Last Supper
- Vitruvian Man
But Leonardo Da Vinci was incredibly talented in multiple forms of creative artistic expression that often go forgotten – including sculpting, engineering, architecture, and inventions.
World Art Day aims to promote and raise awareness about all of the different kinds of arts, and encourage people to appreciate and participate in those creative endeavors.
Why does World Art Day matter?
You might think World Art Day is just another silly, ‘for fun’ type celebration that gets thrown out there for the heck of it, much like “National Peanut Butter And Jelly Day” (observed yearly on April 2) or “Optimist Day” (observed yearly on the first Thursday of February)…
But the truth is, World Art Day has so much more impact than that.
World Art Day provides an opportunity for people from different cultures and backgrounds to come together and appreciate the arts that come out of their unique backgrounds. It’s a learning moment… We all learn from each other, and experience stories through art.
It’s a day when museums, galleries, and cultural institutions around the world organize events and exhibitions that showcase the work of artists from diverse backgrounds that make it more accessible to appreciate and interact with.
And all of these events foster a sense of community among people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to interact with each other. (Much like the community mission of Simple Daily Drawing!)
Not only that, but World Art Day encourages people to engage in creative activities themselves.
It’s a lovely reminder that the arts are ALWAYS there for you whenever you’d like to try something new, pick up an old habit again, or get back into your passion.
Whether it’s painting, drawing, or photography… The arts have the power to bring people together and create a shared experience.
By participating in creative endeavors, individuals can connect with others who share their interests and form new friendships and relationships through art.
It even brings people together who share the same motivation for participating in the arts… Such as for mental health, for fun, for story-telling, for work, or even as a form of self-care.
The truth is, the arts have the power to inspire, to challenge, and to transform people’s lives. We’ve seen this even in our own community of Simple Daily Drawers.
World Art Day is an important celebration of all of that, which reminds us of the critical role that the arts play in our own lives, as well as in our communities.
How can I celebrate?
For World Art Day we encourage you to celebrate in one (or more) of these fun ways!
- Watch a documentary about Leonardo Da Vinci
- Spend a day at your local art museum
- Spend 10-15 minutes drawing something for the prompt “World Art Day”
- Take a class on an art form you maybe haven’t tried before (like glass blowing, pottery, or watercolors)
- YouTube some drawing tutorials for different things you’ve been wanting to learn how to draw (like portraits, different textures, or cartoon styles)
- Write a letter or email to an artist you love about why you admire their work, and wish them a happy World Art Day
This is of course not an exhaustive list of ways you can enjoy the day 🙂
Whatever way you choose to celebrate, Simple Daily Drawing is wishing you a very happy World Art Day!!