--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Art cannot be looked at as an elite…" description: "\"Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. It has to be embraced as an accessible, popular form, which is what I believe theater is at ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/diane-paulus-16351_actor_art-cannot-be-looked-at-as-an-elite-sacr_1621340.png" --- # Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore… ![“Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. It has to be embraced as an accessible, popular form, which is what I believe theater is at its roots.” quote by Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/diane-paulus-16351_actor_art-cannot-be-looked-at-as-an-elite-sacr_1621340.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/diane-paulus-16351_actor_art-cannot-be-looked-at-as-an-elite-sacr_1621340.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/diane-paulus-16351_actor_art-cannot-be-looked-at-as-an-elite-sacr_1621340.png) > “Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. It has to be embraced as an accessible, popular form, which is what I believe theater is at its roots.” [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Theatre should be democratized, moving from elite, sacred performances to accessible, popular experiences that engage everyone. **In simple terms:** Make theater accessible to all. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive, popular theater. Themes art accessibility community Mood enthusiastic hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - public performances - education programs - community outreach - media integration Key Concepts cultural democratization audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How to keep quality while expanding audience? - What models support inclusive arts? A Different Perspective Balancing artistic integrity with mass appeal can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [People don't realize that I started in musical theater. That's where my roots are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katee-sackhoff/people-don-t-realize-that-i-started-in-musical-theater-that-s-where/) [Katee Sackhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katee-sackhoff/) > [Patti, did art get us?' I looked away, not really wanting to think about it. 'I don't know, Robert. I don't know.' Perhaps it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/patti-did-art-get-us-i-looked-away-not-really-wanting-to-think-about/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Some of the things that happened at theater camp, you would tell somebody and they would never believe. But if you're a theater person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-gordon/some-of-the-things-that-happened-at-theater-camp-you-would-tell/) [Molly Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-gordon/) > [The mistake that men make is that they do not believe in theater. Otherwise, they would know that every man is allowed to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-mistake-that-men-make-is-that-they-do-not-believe-in-theater/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Clear your throat and open your eyes. You are on stage. The lights are on. 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To be negative at all times is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/to-be-positive-at-all-times-is-to-ignore-all-that-is-important-sacred/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [The sacred lamp of day Now dipt in Western clouds his parting day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-falconer/the-sacred-lamp-of-day-now-dipt-in-western-clouds-his-parting-day/) [William Falconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-falconer/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More by Diane Paulus > [I am always looking for what piece, what artists, what playwrights, what directors, what subject matter is going to catalyze an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-am-always-looking-for-what-piece-what-artists-what-playwrights-what/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [We're a depraved civilization. All this technology, all the computer games and the iPhones... nobody will sit for art anymore. What a dismaying state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/we-re-a-depraved-civilization-all-this-technology-all-the-computer/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [Im always interested in looking - historically - at how theater can animate history and how all of that can make us engage with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/im-always-interested-in-looking-historically-at-how-theater-can/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [Creativity and the world of the imagination - the beauty of what we see as a child and the kind of play that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/creativity-and-the-world-of-the-imagination-the-beauty-of-what-we-see/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [The idea of making audiences feel like they matter, that the theatre matters, and that they're a partner in the event—that's what fuels me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/the-idea-of-making-audiences-feel-like-they-matter-that-the-theatre/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [Creativity is a form of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/creativity-is-a-form-of-knowledge/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I think every theater in America wants a younger audience... and you can't just hope to have a younger audience, you have to program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-think-every-theater-in-america-wants-a-younger-audience-and-you-can/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [You have to think about why you're asking an audience to come to the theater. It's not that they should come because it's good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/you-have-to-think-about-why-you-re-asking-an-audience-to-come-to-the/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [At the core of what I'm doing is a belief in the audience, a belief that populism doesn't mean dumbing down theater, but rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/at-the-core-of-what-i-m-doing-is-a-belief-in-the-audience-a-belief/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I want an audience that will come sitting forward in their seats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-want-an-audience-that-will-come-sitting-forward-in-their-seats/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I don't want to be in an art bubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-art-bubble/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I listen to music, I read scripts, and I know pretty intuitively if I can unlock it in a way. It's actually very liberating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-listen-to-music-i-read-scripts-and-i-know-pretty-intuitively-if-i/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I knew ART was was going to give me this opportunity to expand my role as a director and finally let me have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-knew-art-was-was-going-to-give-me-this-opportunity-to-expand-my/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I'm always interested in working with people who are good team players - that are selfless that way in their interests and dedication to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-m-always-interested-in-working-with-people-who-are-good-team/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) > [I think in our culture there's been a tendency for people to blame the audience. There is a tendency in our industry to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-paulus/i-think-in-our-culture-there-s-been-a-tendency-for-people-to-blame/) [Diane Paulus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) [Explore all 40 Diane Paulus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-paulus/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. 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