Why Encourage Creativity and Art in the U.S.?

Why is encouraging creativity and art in the U.S. an issue? As someone who looks for creative ways to act and move in the world, and someone who’s spent a great deal of time in creative organizations, you run into some things repeatedly that are counterproductive to creativity, as well as the best interest of your community.

Most nations in the world have a long history when compared to the U.S. and this history is reflected in centuries of Art and obvious signs, documents and remains of personal and organizational expression over hundreds or thousands of years.

The U.S. has existed as a nation for only a little more than 200 years. While it has some public art, much of it is reflected in monuments and the results of a few public programs.

Many can go about their day, work, shopping or where ever without encountering anything beyond utilitarian structures, highways and parks. There is little to make them reconsider their environment and a lot to facilitate them focusing on work or supporting themselves.

Beyond this, specifically creative careers often carry a stigma with an association that the only way you can make a living is through teaching, public funding or grants. Getting a position teaching art, especially at the college level, is nearly impossible. There have been times when this was easier to do, but budgets have changed and those that have those positions haven’t given them up. Pursuing public funding and grants is an entire skill set that not everyone possesses or seeks to learn. It involves it’s own set of politics and an understanding of jumping hurdles, as well as costs of developing proposals and applications.

If you’re a person who counts creativity as a big percentage of your DNA, wouldn’t an environment where those insights were encouraged and valued be preferable? Wouldn’t such an environment provide more opportunities for the country generally? If you think so, we’re left with changing things. It’s up to us to make more Art, create more innovation and not leave the “making” to the corporations. It’s up to us to create groups and communities that make space for these activities. It’s up to us to put examples of Art/art and innovation out in the world where everyone in our community can see and experience them. Museums are great, but you shouldn’t be required to go to a specific building to see great stuff. Some things need to be lived with, experienced everyday, to allow all their benefits to seep into your experience. We’ve got to make this happen.

What do you think?

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  1. The Climate of Creativity

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