The arts are an essential aspect of a well-rounded, experience-based education. It’s almost a Shakespearean tragedy that the arts are proposed to take significant budget cuts, impacting many students. 

It’s important for us, while we’re still young, to absorb different cultures through different art forms. Whether it be participating in choir, getting our hands dirty in the art room, playing with light in photo class, or even just watching a well-acted play onstage, delving into different kinds of art is important to education.

Not only does art inform us of other cultures and their histories, but it also helps students develop a sense of creativity and imagination. 

While there are endless opportunities to experience art in the Lexington area and even on UK’s campus, one that stands out is the Lexington Opera House. LOH doesn’t get as much credit as it rightfully deserves from young people in the community. 

LOH was built in 1886 and officially opened its doors to the public in 1887. Since then, it has been a place for people to gather and enjoy a wide array of entertainment. 

“The Lexington Opera House is a great establishment that has a variety of entertainment for all ages,” said Emma Biggs, a secondary English education freshman who has visited LOH many times.

While it is known as a place to go and listen to opera, which is definitely not on the Top 40 list, LOH offers a wide variety of entertainment. According to its website, LOH hosts ballet performances, children’s productions, family shows, comedy shows, live music, musicals and professional national Broadway tours.

Biggs added that she most recently went to the LOH to see “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” with her friend last summer.

“The production was so different from the movie that I’ve seen several times, but in a good way,” Biggs said. “It was a different, more modern take on the story, but to see it performed live was really cool.” 

More people in the Lexington area, especially college students and young folks, should definitely make it a part of their educational endeavors to immerse themselves in the world of art. 

“The Lexington Opera House is a place for different types of people to come together and enjoy something beautiful,” English freshman Sara Grider said. “It’s a place where you can lose yourself for a little while and immerse yourself into the magic.”

In the end, LOH serves as both art education and a fantastic place for those who are willing to let art take over their senses for a while.

Paidin Dermody is a journalism freshman.

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