The Vital Role of Arts in Child Development

Acces to Education2023

Apr 24

Bhutan | VAST | 2023

Kuzu zangpo la!

We are Voluntary Artists Studio Thimphu (VAST) Bhutan, advocating for the importance of art in child development. For the past 25 years, our group has been committed to nurturing a creative society, for and by art, to enrich lives.

15 - 35 years old
Thimphu

The Right-Sized Problem

Our schools have been focusing more on subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and not as much on art. This means not everyone knows how great art can be for a child’s all-around development.

What did we do?

We decided it was time to step up and show it. By holding workshops, art exhibitions and an art fest, we were able to engage people of all ages and make them experience the beauty and joy that art can bring in their lives.

As our campaign coincided with World Environment Day and the Queen’s birthday, who is an advocate of environmental issues, we created 20 individual artworks and a mural to get people to care about our environment. “Her Expression VI: Women for Environment” was held at the VAST Bhutan Center Gallery, which showcased 55 artworks from 35 Bhutanese women artists, a corner mural and additional artworks by 20 young students.

Our biggest campaign event, Artfest 2023, didn’t just pop by for a day–it lasted for 4 whole days, thanks to the Thimphu Tsechu Holidays turning the calendar in our favor. Thimphu’s streets were transformed into a giant art party, where kids and teens were the main stars. Local artists turned sidewalks into masterpieces right before

More than the visual feast, we got into serious chats too. Community talks turned the spotlight on what we strongly believe: that the arts should be included in education programs. We made sure that Artfest left a lasting impression on the citizens of Thimphu, painting the picture of a future where education is as vibrant as our streets were during those four unforgettable days.

- Taking part of an existing festival
- Art Exhibition
- Photobooth

Campaign Impact

During Artfest, congested city streets transformed into vibrant spaces for artistic expression and community engagement. Children actively participated in the many activities, sparking their creativity and hopefully their interest in art too. It wasn’t only the kids that benefitted as tourists and other visitors were also treated to a visual feast, and learned about our advocacy

This also led to the uplifting of the community's spirits and well-being. A positive and inclusive space sprung in Thimphu, a place where people can express themselves freely and shake the stress away through art. We saw how both children and adults were more enthusiastic and joyful after engaging with the activities, further proving our long-standing belief that art can improve and enrich lives.

Impact in Numbers