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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Please keep Art Department

Before recorded time, there was art. Before organized religion, there was art. Before organized sports, even society itself, there was art.

The cave paintings at Les Caux, France, are evidence that humanity has always desired art. We have always created art.

Now, thousands of years after cavemen first smashed berries onto stone walls, Spokane has decided art is dispensable. This city is able to maintain huge sporting events, parks, golf courses, swimming pools, even a carousel, but is no longer able to support even the smallest imaginable Arts Department.

Art is the measure of our society. Please keep the Arts Department. Please resuscitate our humanity.

Karen Swanson

Spokane

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