What is the purpose of art?

The purpose of art can't be limited to a single aspect.
As Januszczak describes it, the purpose of art can't be pinned down to a single aspect.
However, it should help you see your surroundings and environment differently.

As he talks about the experieces he had in southern Africa finding out the origins of art, he surprisingly descovered the specific connection between a place and the art made for that place. As an example he mentions Carsten Höller's project. According to Januszczak, making art was a form of magic if you did the right thing, in the right place. Thereby, he emphasizes, you made possible a transformation.
Another aspect that gets attention from Januszczak is the power of art to free one's mind to take him to various mystical and distant places. In his words, "You haven't moved an inch, but your thoughts have gone travelling to a very dotty destination". He moreover explains that art is pretty much "the last bastion of insoluble mystery and radical transport" and sums its purpose up by stating that ist purpose is "to get you out of here".

Further ideas are given by Jerry Saltz in the article "The Whole Ball of Wax
Can Art Change the World? A Holistic Theory". He points out that art is part of a universal force. It has no less purpose or meaning than science, religion, philosophy, politics, or any other
discipline; it is an energy source that helps make change possible; it sees things in clusters and
constellations rather than rigid systems.