Throughout history, various forms of art and culture have played a role in the evolution of our societies. Festivals, handicrafts, food, and songs bring stories and knowledge about the connections between humans and nature, in and between generations, and are essential for people all over the world to feel a sense of belonging.

Art has a unique ability to capture the winds of change as they impact the formation and development of societies and the people who live in them. It has the ability to perform and convey messages, ideas, and expressions where words fail. It can connect directly to people’s hearts and bodies, sometimes more than their minds, allowing art to shift mindsets more profoundly than other forms of communication.

For many people around the world, art and culture are inextricably linked to spiritual belief systems, including locally based understandings of the relationships between nature, humans, and deities.