What does art mean to you?

Art is powerful. It has changed the course of nations, established religions, crowned kings, and motivated oppressed people to rise up and take back their lives. So I ask you, what does art mean to you?

What issues are burning in your hearts?

I'll start it off with good old Freedom of Speech. We already have this, and of course it's used all the time. In our information age we have the power to post our thoughts (and our dinner pics) at will. Does this create a problem? Are we watering down our right to free speech? Do we have a responsibility to fully analyze an issue before slapping down a few witty lines or uploading a smartypants meme? What are your thoughts, 8th Graders?