“Starving Artist” vs. Entrepreneur: Is the language we use around the arts helping or hurting?

• Do you pay yourself a living wage to make your work?
• Do you value your work as something that needs to happen?
• Does “non-profit” equal art-as-charity, a luxury commodity, a non-necessity?
• Does it support entrepreneurship?
• How does this language help art-makers to be seen, fundraise and be recognized as important and critical?

It used to be the conception that being an artist meant not making money; however, more and more people are choosing their passion as their number one source of income. Three broad trends are brewing:

1. Consumer interest in unique, one-of-a-kind materials is increasing in its popularity.

2. The internet is helping artists find tech savvy methods of promotion.

3. Technology is also reducing the cost of production, giving artist entrepreneurs a quick easy way to build a business strictly on-line if need be, with multiple revenue streams.

I’m an art elitist. I have found that more students today are making art to make money instead of making money off of art, and naturally this boils me to no end.

The Field, which is dedicated to providing artists with strategies and means to showcase their work, started ERPA: Next Generation (Economic Revitalization for Performing Artists). This group of five artists diverse in performing disciplines, meet to identify relevant economic struggles among artists and come up with solutions.

RPA Clip 8 Our Goods from The Field on Vimeo.

XOXO,

COURVO