Art w/out Capitalism

Photo by Alizee Marchand on Pexels.com

This weekend I volunteered at my local art center. While there, I was allowed to help set up for a Vision Boarding workshop. I love this for us. There is tremendous power in gathering for creative endeavors. Collective imagination is fuel for a new world and this got me thinking…

The way our current reality is set up, our time is full of the necessary work it takes to pay our bills and buy our groceries. Many of us struggle to make ends meet in this economy. This kind of survival mode life puts a damper on the creative process. Approaching every project with an eye on profitability limits any risks an artist might be willing to take. What is art when it is absent from profit? What could artists be if capitalism wasn’t nipping at our heels every minute of the day, working hard at separating us from our money? Would there be more artists? Maybe art would be more diverse of style and perspective. It might be prettier, uglier, and everything in between. Art would be more numerous and more accessible. Art could be in everything and everything could be rooted in creating more artful experiences.

As we move through the end of the world for capitalism, I am compelled to do the work of reimagining the beginning of this next chapter of humanity. I encourage my fellow artists to take up the task of doing the same. Now is the time to create! A Renaissance begins when artists work at making their creative selves seen and heard. Gather together and imagine the future. Be unafraid to bring your visions to life. Be devoted to your creativity. What do you think life could be if artists were unencumbered by corporate greed?

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