If we truly believe in the power of cultural institutions to impact communities and engage authentically with social justice issues, if we believe in museums’ capacity to bring about social change, improve cultural awareness, and even transform the world, than we must also believe that our internal practices have an impact, and must act according to the changes we seek.

~ Monica O Montgomery

Monica O Montgomery Activism African Americans Cultural Awareness History Museums Social Change Social Justice The Arts

I can't think of one great human being in the arts, or in history generally, who conformed, who succeeded, as educational experts tell us children must succeed, with his peer group...If a child in their classrooms does not succeed with his peer group, then it would seem to many that both child and teacher have failed. Have they? If we ever, God forbid, manage to make each child succeed with his peer group, we will produce a race of bland and faceless nonentities, and all poetry and mystery will vanish from the face of the earth.

~ Madeleine L'engle

Madeleine L'engle Children The Arts

Don't be dismayed by the opinions of editors, or critics. They are only the traffic cops of the arts.

~ Gene Fowler

Gene Fowler Creativity Critics Editing Editors Inspirational Opinions The Arts Writing

If our family was poor, of what did our poverty consist? If our clothes were torn the torn places only let in the sun and wind. In the winter we had no overcoats, but that only meant that we ran rather than loitered. Those who are to follow the arts should have a training in what is called poverty.

~ Sherwood Anderson

Sherwood Anderson Poverty The Arts

The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of the nation, is close to the center of a nation's purpose - and is a test to the quality of a nation's civilization.

~ John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy Civilization Quality Of Life Test The Arts