Dropping out of school and the institutional race to the bottom that leads to boredom among young people are recurring problems, rooted in a society where individual success often seems to be conditioned by rigid normative criteria. For many young people, school becomes a place of frustration rather than a space for self-fulfillment. What's the point of following a system that doesn't value them, that leaves them feeling "inadequate"? Boredom sets in, fed by the impression that their aspirations are not recognized or that the education they receive is out of touch with reality.
This boredom, coupled with a sense of exclusion, drives some people to the lure of easy money. With no concrete prospects, illegal opportunities suddenly seem accessible and rewarding, albeit destructive. Brutal delinquency becomes an escape route for those who have found no recognition or support at
School failure policy: deliberate or unconscious?
The disturbing question is one of political responsibility. Is it an "accidental" structural failure or a deliberate tool to keep part of the population on the margins? It's hard to say. On the one hand, the lack of investment in education, the casualization of teachers and the persistence of territorial inequalities seem to testify to a flagrant lack of interest, not to mention the collapse of authority. On the other hand, some cynics see it as a strategy to maintain a balance of power, denying the underprivileged classes access to genuine emancipation.
Public policies are often content to patch things up: superficial reforms, a proliferation of evaluations or technocratic adjustments, without ever tackling the root of the problem. Education transformed into a mere diploma factory cannot meet the profound needs of young people, nor offer them an enthusiastic vision of the future.
Disconnection from art: a consequence of lack of culture
And why is it that a large part of the population seems so far removed from art? Art, which could play an enlightening, escapist and thought-provoking role, is often perceived as elitist or useless. This is partly due to a lack of artistic culture and education from an early age. Schools sacrifice the arts on the altar of disciplines deemed "utilitarian", such as mathematics or languages. The result: a decerebrate population.
In a world where screens have taken over, the effort required by art - looking, listening, feeling, interpreting - seems alien. Yet art could be a powerful alternative to boredom and drift, a way of reconnecting with oneself, questioning the world and enriching one's vision.
What can be done to bring art closer to a remote population?
Rethink education. Value diverse talents instead of imposing a single mold. Give art a central place in everyone's life. Make people understand that art is not reserved for an elite, but that it is a universal language. And, above all, to stop turning a blind eye to the boredom and suffering of young people who, for want of solutions, choose the most immediate and destructive path.
To find an explanation, I'd put it down to a combination of both factors: a blatant political disinterest which, in some cases, turns into an implicit strategy to perpetuate inequalities.
Bringing people closer to art requires an approach that is educational, accessible and inclusive. Many people shy away from art simply because they think they don't have the "codes", or because they feel it's not for them. Here are a few ways of breaking down these barriers and connecting the public to art.
Democratizing access to art
- Make art free or inexpensive in museums and exhibitions
- Taking art out of traditional venues
- Participatory projects
- Integrating art into education from an early age
- More hours devoted to art at school
- Exposing children to a variety of artworks
- Breaking down the elitist image of art
- Simplifying the speech
- Promoting artists close to the public
- Creating powerful emotional experiences
- Interactive installations
- Art and new technologies
- Using media and social networks
- Short, punchy content
- Unexpected collaborations: Don't hesitate to bring together different structures
- Revaluing art as a universal human need
- Understand that art is essential: Explain that art embellishes
- Art as a social tool: Using art to integrate
- Building bridges with popular cultures
- Making the public understand that Art is for everyone