Opus Newsletter Contributor

This is the fourth article in a series by Alice Rich who is contributing to both our online and printed newsletters.

Alice Rich is well known to the BC art community for her seminars on business issues facing visual artists and in her own right, as a photographer and painter. Since graduating from UBC and Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design, Alice has worked in professional roles with two major galleries, founded a publishing company, and is presently working as an artist and seminar leader. She also has extensive community involvement on Art Boards and committees.

Due to popular demand, Alice Rich will present her Artrpreneur Seminar in Victoria in April 2004. For registration details see our March newsletter or email Alice at alice-rich@shaw.ca

Sometimes artists risk everything for their art career and get somewhere, other times artists risk everything and get nowhere. An artist may leave this world having made a mark, but is that enough? What is it that artists want? How can society please this group of creative people? Sometimes, for an artist it all works. Often, when it does work we still don't know why it works. Perhaps it is being in the right place at the right time with the right imagery - being you - being validated through patrons - or a multitude of other reasons. Maybe it is all magic; maybe it is not?

So, "What do Artists want?" Depending on the artist, the answer may be some or all of the following:

• Recognition of their talent and work
  
  
• A place to make their work - Studio
  
  
• A place to show their work - Galleries, Art Fairs, Exhibitions, Lobbies, Civic Plazas
  
  
• Income from their works so they can focus on the pursuit of making more art, and not 'cut and paste' with secondary employment
  
  
• Acceptance from people and peers that they are a viable member of the community
  
  
• Respect for what they do
  
  
• To be discovered and become famous (or perhaps not)
  
  
• To be part of history - to leave their mark
  
  
• To make art, express themselves through their art, and validate their identities and/or place in history

In a nutshell, as one artist told me, to make, show, sell and/or receive recognition and continue doing it. Or as author Richard Florida, says in his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, "challenge, flexibility and pay". To explore this issue further, we must examine the meaning and implications of "recognition". Recognition is most easily indicated by finding a market. But, it is my belief that while the market defines demand for art, it does not define art.

The concept of art far exceeds any definition based on the nature or size of its "market". In its beginning, every idea has an audience of only one. How large that audience may grow and when that growth may appear are unknowable until and unless growth occurs. But, just like art, the idea exists with or without a larger audience or market.

The challenge for the artist, then, is to persevere whether or not recognition is forthcoming. Artists who want recognition, shows and respect for their talent must work hard for it. We must build our dreams and live our dreams. We must be prepared for the challenges of critics - What is valid? What is derivative of someone else? What is ground breaking? Where does our art fit?

Some of us in this world are creators while some are consumers (whether observers, buyers, collectors or patrons). Whether we are creators or consumers, we each have a valid role to play in this creative community of making and encouraging the making of art. We develop, explore and support ideas as we go along, whether through the visual arts, writing, performing, consuming or philanthropy. Indisputably, talent and its recognition are based on uniqueness of expression and how that expression touches the heart and soul of its observers. Sometimes it all seems simply to fall into place. At other times, it is a battle as we consciously fight with or accept the stimulation of our creative environment and flow or we succeed by actively challenging ourselves.

The Good News

Here is the good news. Richard Florida's research offers great hope to artists that at a societal level at least, the trend is clearly in our favour. The cultural class is on the rise and is the biggest economic growth factor in our cities today. The vitality of our cities has everything to do with the creative community, racial tolerance, the mosaic mix and the gay population. In his book The Rise of the Creative Class, Florida compares the growth of the cultural/creative economy with the industrial revolution. That's good news, that means, yes artists, there is value in what you do! The creative class is a leading factor in the growth of the economy and the popularity of cities. So time to raise our positive vibration level because artists are being validated and creativity is sought.

We all know from personal experience that many of the cool and chic neighbourhoods were previously artist studio/living areas or warehouse spaces. Look at Vancouver (Kits, Granville Island, Gastown, Yaletown), Winnipeg (Main Street), Toronto (Cabbagetown). In fact, this is repeatedly the pattern in almost every city and town that thrives. Real estate developers have only to follow the artists around and watch them settle into a place and change the face of the neighborhood. Before you know it, the artists are moving on because they can no longer afford the rents, as the former artist slum is now the chic area demanding higher prices. The repetition of this pattern is irksome. If artists as a group of the creative class are so 'with it' that they have this kind of impact; then why do we feel that we are a negligible force? Or as a government bureaucrat once told me, "You are in a 'gray' area". I thought he was in the gray area.

Artists have been proven to have impact in their larger communities and are recognized as leaders in the next generation of ideas. So think how important we are, how boring the world would be without our creative minds. According to Richard Florida, society's creative core is made up of 12% pure artist; visual artists, performance artists, writers, musicians, architects out of the 33% to 50% total portion of the creative class that is on the growth curve. The other part of this group is made up of technical designers, computer software designers, web based and home based self-employed, information based entrepreneurial individuals. It is impossible to think of a single piece of furnishing or building, automobile, website, that doesn't have a design element. And the hands that create those design elements may belong to many different categories of artist, from fabric/textile designers to photographers, painters, faux wall finishers, architects, composers, etc?

The city of Shanghai has been re-built and is continuing to expand into a mélange of new buildings, most built in the last 10 years. Each new building must pass a design scrutiny measuring its creative impact and original use of materials and massing. Every building must be different and as a result many are overwhelming in their design. What does that say about the value and importance of the creative sector?

Richard Florida states that the creative sector is the only growing part of our economy. The creative talents are changing our culture; he compares the growing creative class as a transitional force in the world much like the industrial revolution changed the economic drivers well over a century ago. We are re-vitalizing society with art, science, technology, research, and education. The growing creative classes are the economic winners today. There is a big sorting of people happening, where individuals are moving to cities that are benefiting from the best and the brightest. The Netherlands and UK, for example, are countries actively competing for the talent.

Florida identifies what he calls the Bohemian Index, measuring the degree to which a city is culturally engaged, open, exciting, non-discriminating, with a large ethnic mosaic and a less segregated gay population. Cities with a strong Bohemian Index harness new ideas, have a high degree of tolerance, are ego attractive to creative people, are accepting of new businesses, and give tax breaks. Cities where conservative approaches still flourish are in decline. People gravitate to environments that are diverse, tolerant and allow new ideas to flow. People are being driven to location choices with these factors, to culturally vibrant cityscapes like: Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Seattle, Boston, San Francisco. Universities play a vital role in spawning and harnessing creative energy in the cities of which they are part.

No city planner can make it happen - it cannot be planned. One must let it happen, based on an alchemy of people climate and business climate. People know what they want and what attracts them - artist lofts, coffee shops, galleries, music, sustainable living around alternative sites and ideas. The support of creativity and all its dimensions builds a vibrant community. People intuitively recognize, gravitate toward and encourage what they want, need and thrive upon. Florida says that Technology, Talent and Tolerance are necessary and must all be present to attract creative people, generate innovation and stimulate growth.

So, Artists, we are on the verge of being able to pay the rent and gain confidence in our self-expression. It is time to hold our heads up and say, "I am part of the creative force driving the economic future; therefore I am?"

We test ourselves with goals that may be out of reach at this moment or forget to compliment our victories or ourselves for reaching an objective or having a good day in the studio. Artists are doing important stuff, are adding to the growth of the creative milieu and actually attracting people who want to congregate in this energy.

The Answer

Returning to the original question, artists want encouragement, recognition, respect and confidence. Artists are drivers in society's achievement of economic advances. Artists are the reason that people gravitate to places that offer not only opportunities and amenities, but are also open and diverse. Artistic communities offer places for individuals who can act on the burning desire to just do it!

There is room for the artist to stay vital and have a creative impact in the community. Finding motivation to move our ideas forward is part of the challenge. Motivation can only come from within, but can be nurtured on the outside. Artists occupy a position of fascination for the rest of the world. It may take a leap of faith to be an artist and to trust that somehow with resolve, it will all work out and make sense to those who encounter it.

Contributed by Alice Rich
alice-rich@shaw.ca