Sports receive funding, support, and all the rage on campus. What do the fine art students, who put in equal effort for their performance, get?

Sports and the arts are equal. However, they are not treated equally by students, faculty, or colleges. We constantly hear about up and coming sporting events, but rarely do we hear about the theatre performance held on the same night.

The two are equal in dedication, effort, and drive, but the support varies. While the campus is trying to return to normal, we hear concerns over whether sports will have a regular season, but what about orchestra and band performances?

It’s normal to wear gear supporting our athletic teams, but not the arts. However, there’s no point to only discuss a problem and give no solutions.

WSU should start increasing the advertising for art performance and galleries. Give it equal attention to sports. Faculty members should be challenged to not only know when a sports game is occurring, but when theatre students have a show.

For students, we could normalize supporting theatre just as much as sports. Get involved on campus by not only attending sports games, but shows as well. I believe more students would attend, if there was more advertising done and it was well known.

Harvey Fierstein said, “Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.”

The fine arts at WSU provide us with culture and diversity, and a chance to appreciate perspective and beauty. Art stimulates the brain into creative thinking which can benefit us in the classroom and our careers.

WSU is centered around diversity, and that should include the events we attend and the equal coverage they should receive.

Art isn’t better than sports. But it is equal.