I think we can all agree that there is something very special to art and music, no one really knows why we make them or enjoy them for that matter.

One thing that we can say about them is that they can portray feelings, thoughts, or scenes commonly associated with psychedelics or altered states. They can do this much better than words in my opinion. So what is the future like for these things? My theory is that there will come a time when music and art actually induce full blown altered states of consciousness and that may very well be what they were intended to do.

Any thoughts?

Art and music is life 110%. Without music and art life would be empty

Art and music is getting more and more digitalized everyday. In theory, you could recreate any piece of music or art that has ever been made in the history of mankind, with just computer software. The hard part is just mastering these programs to the degree where it's faster than using real instruments or brushes. But in the future when enough artists realize that and become fluent with a variety of programs that will have unlimited functionalities and lightning-speed interfaces, there will be a point when we'll stop imitating older genres and techniques, and will begin to sprout out new genres so fast that genres won't have a point anymore. Art will just be a constant flow of differing levels of abstractions from each person who chooses to unload the transmissions they receive from their brainrelay.

The next step will be either of these two:
1. Technology advances to the point where our consciousness can be downloaded into a sort of shared cyberspace, and there we can manifest art and music into existence with just the power of thought.
2. Spirituality advances to the point where our consciousness can be ascended into a sort of shared hyperspace, and there we can manifest art and music into existence with just the power of thought.

Which one it will be depends on quite a few variables about the nature of consciousness and the universe, but that sort of manifesting IS the final destination that we're headed towards. And that will be one beautiful world.

This all relates to Mckenna's Transcendental Object theory, in fact we ARE novelty creating machines and one day we will create the ultimate novelty of a cyber/hyperspacial realm our consciousness can inhabit. I feel that music and art however were not invented, rather discovered and have a strong connection to whatever it is that is egging us on toward that goal.

There are only a few things in life that really reek of some sort of higher intelligence or what have you, and they are music, art, and entheogens. I think that these things will be the catalyst for the transformation into that world.

Art is a representation firstly of an intellectual being, which is capable of representing emotions, feelings, states and abstract processes.
So is language and behavior.We could say that any act of expressing one's self is, art.The same can be said for interpretations.WE interpret music and paintings based on emotions, ideeas....so on.
Words create a specific image in our minds, however it is a very restrictive form of expressing.Our brains function on symbols and states.
The feelings and states you reach while listening to waves of sound or symbols "experienced" can not be verbally expressed, with our current intellect.

Intellect, or the degree of consciousness development sits at the base of cutting edge technology and spiritual advancement.

Art and music IS, I think at this point inducing altered states.Whether we realize it or not.

It's future is just as bright as our.

Daedaloops: your two possibilities- number one and number two- may actually be one and the same.

The whole accelerating aspect of our technological culture certainly points right in that direction, particularly when you look at the ubiquity of communications and networking technologies, and the pervasiveness of our adoption of them.

I do believe it's possible to represent via immersive digital media something that accurately expresses the experience of visiting hyperspace. It's one of my articles of faith that this direction is worth pursuing.