Thoughts on Art and Money
So, money is good, and money is necessary, and money is that thing that tells you that what you’re doing is not a fool’s errand. But the money is also an albatross, changing your relationship to the art.
R. Eric Thomas • Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America; Essays
That specific goal is so prioritized by young people. There’s this idea of, “I just want to be able to not have a job and live off my work.” But that mindset can be detrimental to your work, you know? That’s why having a job can be helpful. You don’t want to be scrambling to get some anointed status of “artist living off their work.”
Ryan Wallace on what it means to be a working artist – The Creative Independent
“Follow your passion, but embrace the sacrifices that are required to make it viable.”
The Fallacy of Passion - More To That
I wish that I had more examples or more people telling me sobering truths in my life, that these two things aren’t opposed. That you can work on a vocation and develop a career and also lead a very fulfilling artistic life simultaneously. One doesn’t have to be sacrificed for the other. And now I think that I’m trying to set that balance for myself... See more
Musician Caleb Cordes (Sinai Vessel) on money and creative work – The Creative Independent
that art and business isn’t supposed to be as separable as church and state. That if you combine them in a way that fully aligns with your values, what you end up with can be a beautiful art form in itself.
The Tension Between Art and Money - More To That
What artists really need, writes Amy Whitaker in Art Thinking, “is not to be paid to make the things they already know how to make, but to somehow find space inside their financials to play and take risks to develop the next thing.”
William Deresiewicz • The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech
It also means being collaborative, not competitive, with peers and sharing research where appropriate. If there’s one throughline in all of these conversations, it’s the power of abundance mentality.
When he received a Creative Capital grant as an artist, Gottesman said, he was struck by “the sense of community that’s built when a foundation trusts... See more
When he received a Creative Capital grant as an artist, Gottesman said, he was struck by “the sense of community that’s built when a foundation trusts... See more
Who Pays for the Arts?
Some artists tend to think making money is either a system you sell out to or something to be avoided altogether. But in reality, it’s neither. If you don’t make money, you won’t have any art to make. We must seek to better understand the business of being an artist. Ignoring this reality is the fastest route to stop creating altogether. To be an a
... See moreJeff Goins • Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age
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