Citizenship Building Block #9: Become a Member of a Cultural Institution

You walk into a contemporary art museum and spot two doting parents hovering above a child in a stroller parked right smack dab in front of a sprawling Jackson Pollack canvas. “Look at the silly painting!” says the daddy. “Look, at all the pretty colors!” extols the mother. The kid’s eyes wander off to the adjacent, bright red fire extinguisher.

The couple sees in the action painting an opportunity to foster their child’s appreciation of culture—and they’re right in doing so. All of us need help integrating a steady diet of art and culture into our daily lives. That’s why obtaining a membership to a cultural institution is such a good thing. Unlike the mug and/or tote bag they might send you as a token of your commitment, you cannot put a price on supporting culture and the arts—especially in an era of austerity measures.

So, don’t just stand there pointing at action painting, this week take action by becoming a member of a local museum or cultural institution.