Each year technology improves. More and more devices are made to help people complete their everyday tasks. As technology improves, other areas, such as the arts are impacted.

Technology has impacted the arts greatly. It has opened up so many opportunities for artists and has expanded the number of techniques artists are able to access. Artists can now “paint” on an iPad just as well as they can on canvas with a paintbrush and paint.   

Artists give their opinion on how technology has changed the arts, and how they have rely on technology. Ms. Coughlin, who teaches theater production at the iSchool, explains how she has relied on technology, and how she has noticed the impact it has made in theater production. Ms. Teresa, a dance teacher at the Hamilton Heights elementary school, explains how technology has impacted her experience as an artist.

“I love dance because it is non-technological, but technology has improved my teaching practice and made it easier to share the world of dance with my students and to share what my students are learning about dance with the world.” Ms. Teresa shares how she was able to share her passion with her students more efficiently with the use of technology and how it has given her students more exposure to many dance styles.

Way before technology, or even before basic art materials were invented, art was drawn in caves. This was called cave art.“Seventeen thousand years ago, humans painted realistic images of bulls, bison, stags, horses and other animals on the walls of the caves of Lascaux, in France. They made stencils of their hands, too.” Comparing ancient art to the knowledge and techniques we have now, it is clear that technology has made a drastic impact on art.

Thanks to technology we are presented with so much knowledge, and so many new techniques. “Graphic design, computer-generated paintings, photoshop, digitally created music, e-books, 3D printing – to name but a few!  Technology has undoubtedly affected art across various mediums.” The website Art Thou explains all the ways art has adapted to technology. “Techniques, such as video software and digital colours are a far cry from the traditional tools of the paintbrush and charcoal.”

Along with these outstanding benefits, technology has also had negative impacts on the arts. Some view digital art as an inauthentic version of the discipline. Art Thou says“Famous paintings are being reproduced and altered by graphic designers and computer hackers at an increasing rate.”  By constantly altering and reproducing art, the originality of an art piece, such as the Mona Lisa, could be taken away.

It is also possible that digital art can take away the creative aspect of art. Art Thou explains how this is possible: “the huge array of tweaking and fine-tuning options open up limitless horizons for artists to express themselves more creatively and accurately, technology has however arguably dampened the flame of creativity as artists are absorbed in the enormous technological capabilities.”

In an interview, Ms. Teresa, a dance teacher, opens up about how technology has impacted the way she teaches her classes. “I use technology all the time when I am teaching dance. I use Bluetooth to connect to my laptop to play my music. I use a streaming service called Spotify to research music and create playlists.” Something so essential to dancing is made easy by the use of technology.

Technology also makes it easier for people to learn. Ms. Teresa talks about a program she uses that helps her do that: “I watch professional development videos on a member website called Leap N Learn which  I use to plan my pre-ballet lessons.”

Ms. Coughlin, a theater production teacher, explains how technology impact her area of focus. She says, “In theater production, we primarily rely on stage lights, speakers and audio equipment. Sound and lighting play an important role in making a play come alive for the audience. Technology can be an amazing tool to enhance performance arts. Simple lighting can change the tone of a scene, and music and sound effects can create shifts in mood, from scary to silly to sad, with subtle alterations.”  

Technology has also impacted the music industry.“The experience of music is now so closely intertwined with modern technology that many of the ways we currently enjoy music wouldn’t exist without the use of technology.”

The arts were practiced even before technology was used. Technology simply has enhanced the arts and opened many more opportunities for artists. With technology the possibilities are endless. More people are exposed to the arts then ever before. Music, drawing, dance and theater have all changed, and although technologies can have it’s complications, they have changed for the better.