The center hole makes the wagon move

The SFUSD arts department uses poetry to begin a discussion about arts in the schools.

“We join spokes together in a wheel, 
but it is the center hole 
that makes the wagon move.

We shape clay into a pot, 
but it is the emptiness inside
that holds whatever we want.

We hammer wood for a house, 
but it is the inner space
that makes it livable.

We work with being, 
but non-being is what we use.”

― Lao Tzu

We met for a discussion about the Arts Education Master Plan led by Susan Stauter, Artistic Director, San Francisco Unified School District and Antigone Tremis, Arts Education Master Plan Implementation Manager.

Susan and Antigone have been working to help turn principals into advocates for arts education. The first challenge is to get education leaders to show up, then to demonstrate the power of arts, then to get more educators trained and more school communities on board.

They are both excited about the arts community hub that will be created as part of the new Ruth Asawa School of the Arts campus, “Imagine the future of arts in our civilization." And they do see the value of arts integration to help excite learning in every subject - but worry that people will confuse a taste of the arts for the whole meal. 

Let us listen to Lao Tzu and think about what we are making space for. Let’s make space for the exploration and inquiry that happens when we make art.