From STEM to STEAM:

Celebrating World Art Day as a Call to Global Creative Action
By Patrick William Dodoo

Each year on 15 April, the world celebrates World Art Day, an international observance proclaimed at the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 2019. More than just a date on the calendar, this day serves as a global reminder of the profound value of art in human development, cultural preservation, and societal transformation.

In a time when science and technology are rapidly evolving, the global conversation has shifted from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to STEAM, with Art now recognized as a vital component of innovation. As an artist and creative project manager, I welcome this shift—not merely as a celebration of my craft but as a call to reimagine how we solve the world’s most pressing challenges through creativity and culture.

Art as the Catalyst in STEAM

For many years, the focus on STEM was necessary to drive technological growth and economic progress. However, it has become clear that without the human-centered, imaginative, and emotionally intelligent contributions of the arts, innovation lacks soul. Art brings the ‘why’ to the ‘how.’ It contextualizes scientific progress, asks ethical questions, and communicates complex ideas in ways that move people and shape policy.

Today, across continents, artists are working hand-in-hand with scientists, educators, and engineers to design smarter cities, communicate climate change, and empower marginalized voices. From community murals that speak truth to power to digital installations addressing mental health and global inequality, art is not just reflecting the world—it’s changing it.

UNESCO’s Vision for Art and Humanity

As Director-General Audrey Azoulay eloquently noted, “Art can unite and connect us even in the most difficult of circumstances.” This statement rings truer now than ever. In the aftermath of a global pandemic and amid ongoing social and political unrest, art continues to serve as a refuge, a revolution, and a roadmap.

World Art Day underscores UNESCO’s belief in the freedom of artistic expression and its pivotal role in promoting peace, inclusion, and sustainable development. These aren’t abstract ideals—they are tangible goals embedded in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to education (Goal 4), reduced inequalities (Goal 10), and sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11).

Education, Equity, and Empowerment

One of the most transformative elements of World Art Day is its call to amplify arts education, particularly within schools. This aligns perfectly with the push toward STEAM learning, where students are encouraged not just to build but to imagine, to not only solve but to empathize.

In my work with youth-led art initiatives and cross-cultural exhibitions, I have witnessed the incredible power of art to unlock potential. A young girl with a paintbrush may become a future designer of eco-conscious buildings. A boy who tells stories through theatre may one day draft laws that honor cultural heritage. The potential is limitless—when art is given its rightful seat at the table of development.

Art as a Tool for Unity and Progress

Art does more than decorate our walls. It tells our histories, heals our traumas, challenges our norms, and dreams of futures yet to be created. Whether it’s a painting made by schoolchildren across Africa or a digital design born out of urban Toronto, every piece adds to the mosaic of global understanding.

On this World Art Day, let us reaffirm our commitment not just to celebrate art but to invest in it, protect it, and use it as a tool for progress, education, and unity. Let us embrace the shift from STEM to STEAM, knowing that without imagination, no meaningful innovation can truly thrive.

Because in the end, a world without art is a world without heart.