Life has become infinitely more complicated, time increasingly precious and society increasingly visual. In higher education we seem to be doing more with less, producing greater amounts of data to support the validity of the work and courses are quantified by the value placed upon by assessment. In this vein, a voice from the trenches calls for a conversation regarding art and its place in the Core Curriculum of our institutions. The definition of "the arts", culture and its place within the institution of higher education implies attitudes and values which may need to be viewed from a different perspective. The hierarchy within "the arts" established through perceptions, stereotypes, bias, and economics creates an uneven playing field as we are forced to vie for crumbs left within a Core experience. As artists and proponents of the arts, we, ourselves, tend to "take for granted", if not undervalue the dynamics inherent within our specific disciplines and specializations. We fail our students, institutions and future generations when the linkages between sciences, technology, art and design in today's world are not clear. We should employ the arts as a foundation for building experiences which will allow us to nurture "life-long learners" who are able to view challenges and situations with a more analytical and creative eye.