COVID-19 has helped us realize how tenuous our 9-5 job security
actually is. We are experiencing in real-time the fragility of the
world’s infrastructure. And so, in an act of self-preservation, we are
looking for ways to protect ourselves, both financially as well as
mentally.
Which is how COVID-19 has also simultaneously brought with it the
evolutionary acceleration of the Gig Economy to the Art Economy.
As most of us are forced to spend our time at home, we are finding a
need to unleash creativity. From baking bread to making jewelry. From
learning how to build container garden to taking up sumi-e painting.
Everywhere you look, there is an overwhelming urge to make something.
And if we are not creating ourselves, we are consuming it wherever we
can find it. Masterclass and Udemy. YouTube DIY videos. Zoom cooking
classes. Streaming Peloton workouts.
We are adapting, moving to and engaging with digital platforms in new
ways.
But one group of creators that these digital platforms have overlooked
is artists.
One of my favorite pieces of content during quarantine was watching
potter Florian Gadsby’s behind the scenes Instagram videos
on his process. There was something mesmerizing about seeing the
pottery change form, hearing the ambient sounds of the studio, and
understanding what and why Florian was doing.
This content also created a personal dilemma: I want to support
Florian, but the only way to do so is to buy a piece of pottery. Now,
much to my wife’s chagrin, I am more than happy to buy a piece of his
pottery. Unfortunately for me, so do a lot of other people. As soon as
his store is updated, it is sold out in minutes.
Which got me thinking: what if there are other ways to support these
artists? Is there a way to help artists monetize the “messy middle”
(h/t Scott Belsky)
of the creation process? Afterall, it is where the magic happens.
I know I value the look into the process that Florian shares on
Instagram. I think the world is better off with good people making
beautiful art. It is a cause I am happy to financially contribute to.
And in the case of Florian, given the size of his audience + the speed
at which his pottery sells out, I think others value it as well.
These desires to create and to support creators are driving the
evolution of the Gig Economy into something more personal. Today more
than ever before in our lifetime, we have a real need for the communal
and healing power of art. We need more of it. Which means we also need
to make it easier for artists to create it.
To make this happen, we need to build a new space for artists and
their communities. Let's take the Patreon and Substack model of
supporting writers and comedians and apply it to the art community.
My goal is to make this space a digital Renaissance for artist. Here
it will be just as easy to pick up a "creative shift" online as it is
to pick up an Instacart shift grabbing groceries. Here artists will be
able to build the support of communities that are necessary for
pursuing meaningful work.
Take NYC for example. Instead of lugging your equipment to Grand
Central Subway Station or setting up your easel in Central Park, you
will be able to perform for tips in front of an even larger live
audience from your home or studio. You will be able to cultivate a
community that not only supports the end result of your work, but the
actual creation process as well.
By allowing communities to directly support the artists, we are
helping the artists focus on the work they care about most. Given the
ability to focus without the financial concerns means artists are able
to do better work. And we get better art.
We are standing at the edge of a new Renaissance. And I believe that
an artist-focused platform will play a big role in helping us fully
harness the rebirth.