Norman Arts Council
Statement on Artistic Freedom

Norman Arts Council would like to reaffirm its position as a staunch supporter of pure artistic freedom in all forms of creative expression within the full length and breadth of our diverse community.

Art is for all. Art is by all. It is a binding force for good that allows us to broadcast our ideas to the world through the windows of our truest selves. It is through these windows that light is shed upon those who need it most.

Our communities are strongest when they are able to most freely express themselves. They are at their weakest when we deny the validity and necessity of creativity that is different or that challenges norms.

That which represents conflict for some may be a vital lifeboat for others. We lose out on much more than a performance, a book, a film, or a canvas when these windows of artistic expression are shuttered and boarded. Misrepresenting artworks as dangerous evils often demonizes those who are already made to feel they are outsiders. All art forms have a place in our society, as do all the voices and people from which wondrous works spring.

To chisel away at the foundation of free speech is to compromise our national identity as the land of the free.

To turn off a light is to dim the world and to fade our clarity.

To remove crayons from the box is to lose the ability to color the whole picture.

Norman Arts Council proudly supports building platforms to celebrate all creators and their contributions to society. We will continue to advocate for local artists, organizations and individuals that wish to do the same.