Thoughts on Art and Money

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

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

Jeff Goins • Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age

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

Who Pays for the Arts?

“Follow your passion, but embrace the sacrifices that are required to make it viable.”

The Fallacy of Passion - 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

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

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