March 14th, 2018 - New York, NY. With over 80% of schools facing funding cuts, the next generation is at risk of losing the valuable skills arts education provides. With this in mind, Lauren Greenfield teamed up with R/GA and Pepsi's LIFEWTR in an effort to #BringArtBackToSchools with a touching new documentary spot featuring real kids and adults discussing how arts education, or lack thereof, has affected their overall growth, success, and happiness.

The longform version of the film garnered over 20 million YouTube views in only one month, catching the attention of actress Lucy Liu, who promoted the spot in People Magazine and on Good Morning America.

The spot tasks adults and children with a seemingly simple assignment - giving them two vertical lines, they are told to "take these two lines and create something new". Each participant self-critiques their own work, some acknowledging that their skills are subpar, with others recognizing their own merits, and how they may not align with other elements of their lives. For example, one woman who did not pursue a career in the arts tears up as she considers that her artistic side has become a "lost treasure"; a scientist points out that a deeper focus on the arts would have only helped her career, for without art, "the world would still be flat".

Some of the kids address the decreased emphasis on art from even kindergarten to first grade, in what they believe is an effort from the school to "get serious" - moving farther away from their creative expressions with each passing year. The piece creates a rounded argument of the impact that arts education holds, the importance of preserving this system, and the consequences of realizing one's passion too late.

To view the longform cut, click HERE. For more of Lauren's work, please visit Chelsea.com.