I’m appalled to read about the erosion and devaluation of the arts in state schools (Absolute outrage’: arts in state schools must be a priority for next government, say theatre leaders, 14 June).
I’m reminded of Rex Mottram in Brideshead Revisited, the businessman and entrepreneur who does not seem like a whole person. In our AI-robotic age, surely it’s time again to recall Henri Bergson’s two profoundly different ways of knowing: the method of analysis and way of intuition. The first giving rise to the sciences and society; the latter giving rise to the arts and culture. And the necessity for all our educational institutions to embrace both perspectives holistically, not subjugating intuition and imagination to analysis and academic discipline, or the arts to business, science and technology.
Trevor Jones
Sheringham, Norfolk
Implementing Nancy Medina’s vision of arts as a necessity in state schools could start immediately by replacing dreary morning assembly hymns, prayer recitations and administrative directives with short theatre performances. Student-generated sketches, standup comedy, rap and rock would surely get the day off to an energising start – and stimulate positive engagement with arts learning in the classroom.
David Rees
Bournemouth, Dorset