Yesterday we had an art walk where I work, and I helped to curate it. I love art – I used to make visual art myself, and I still do in the form of book covers, but being able to help my talented friends, and encourage talented artists is an amazing feeling.

I know that art makes for a better environment; an improved and more enlightened culture; and a society that dreams. How long has it been since we set our sights on the stars and stopped focussing on the minutiae of the everyday? Facebook feeds are laced with the same drug that a lot of media seems to be full of – it can deaden you and make you think that navel gazing is the only direction to travel in.

Artists are possessed of a magic that takes the mundane and works alchemy on it. Every piece of art I experience changes me in some way, and I value that. If we were led by Philosopher Kings who could paint the world as something beautiful then I truly think that things would improve. It all starts with a thought – and creating a piece of art represents an action. Viewing that is an action – sharing the dream is an action. If art were not powerful, why would censorship even exist?

Remember that, and take up the paintbrush; sit down in front of the keyboard; perform the spoken word.