The arts encompass the many activities in our culture that produce original, creative work and thought. In addition to fine art and visual art, the arts also include the non-scientific branches of knowledge known as the humanities.
Humanities disciplines include literature, history, and philosophy, and are the most common areas of study for college students, though they are emphasized most in a liberal arts curriculum. Economics ... and psychology fall under the liberal arts when they are studied as general principles of thought
Fine art, on the other hand, focuses on the production of creative work for our aesthetic pleasure or appreciation of beauty. This has classically been limited to painting, sculpture, and architecture, but today includes creative writing, photography, music, and the performing arts.
There are yet other artistic endeavors that have more practical application in our day-to-day world, such as graphic design. While design degrees are not generally considered fine art, the interplay between art and marketing is making it possible for creative types to get into well-paying careers in all sorts of fields. Just as a graphic designer might borrow classic elements for a modern print ad, a contemporary jazz band might sell a song for a car commercial.
