Sadly, in recent news we have seen a few British treasures pass away; shaping the music, radio and movie industry we enjoy today.

In other news, the government is constantly trying to find ways of cutting the arts (art, drama, music) budget within schools.

As a society, how are we expected to nurture such delights as David Bowie and Alan Rickman if there is no support within the industries they thrived in?

It is very easy to say how little importance the arts have, but as a nation how are we supposed to progress with new ideas if there is no creativity? Inventions enable us to develop and learn about unknown areas.

Art is about free will and to discourage it could simply dampen individualities. Culture is a big part of many people's lives, with its foundations routed from art.

The arts may be perceived to be a less academic option, but actually they can open up areas of your brain that you never knew existed. It is almost essential that we keep these industries thriving, as the Arts Council said: 'The creative industries accounted for £59.9bn or 6.2% of UK Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2007'.

I am guessing a lot of you watch television and film, have been to a theatre production or visited an art museum. Where will they be in years to come if budgets and funding are being slashed for these vital crafts that not only bring pleasure to us as a world, but provide many jobs and capture the interest of millions of people?

So although we are given with this distorted perception of academia being the only way - yes, it is still important - however there is proof to say we need to keep creative subjects in the syllabus to stimulate the great British public.

Laura Wright, 16, Wymondham College