Clinton expresses importance of arts at summit

— Former President Bill Clinton made a stop at the library bearing his namesake on Tuesday morning for the Arkansas Arts Summit.

Former President Bill Clinton was on-hand on Tuesday morning to give remarks at the Arkansas Arts Summit being held at the Clinton Presidential Library. Clinton, an advocate of the arts, told the crowd of around 300 of how art affected his life and how it affects the lives of others daily.

Clinton speaks at Arkansas Arts Summit

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The event — put on to highlight the burgeoning arts culture that has been permeating around the state — was hosted in The Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Library, with the former two-term president making remarks on stage for 25 minutes.

In his time on the dais, Clinton spoke of many examples of art that have affected his life.

"I've said many times and I believe, if I had not been in the school music program, I would not have been elected president," Clinton said.

Clinton also told the story of how during one of his first visits to Haiti after the country was ravaged by an earthquake, he was approached by a man to by some of his artwork. The man had lost his wife and children in the earthquake just days earlier.

Clinton said the man had a very poignant quote.

"He said, 'they know that if I can be here just a few days after losing my whole family, they have no excuse to hide their gifts and stay home,'" Clinton said.

Clinton left immediately following his address to head to a speaking engagement in El Dorado,

Read more about this story in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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