Bright Side

Have you noticed the second-class status art is given in our society?

The accepted wisdom is that arts are unnecessary. A luxury. Drawing pictures, writing poems, taking acting classes -- these are self-indulgent hobbies that, let's face it, will probably never amount to anything.

Do you have this voice in your head? In your family? Your government or media?

I do, and it has always been there to tell me that until I become successful, during these years of working to be a good writer, I'm a freeloading dilettante pursuing an airy-fairy, selfish, impractical "career" just to feed my ego when I should be out getting a real job and contributing to society.

In Canada, Stephen Harper would have everyone believe it's okay to shut down creative industries -- as if these don't represent Jobs in the Economy just like any other industry.

But it's more than business, too. I know in my bones art -- music, visual arts, the stories of film and television, photography, dance -- these are as necessary as roads and phone lines and farms, although their benefits can't be measured by the same criteria.

I know I'm doing something worthwhile and valuable, although I don't often see that point of view articulated or championed. And I'm not always sure how to articulate it myself, without sounding all defensive or airy-fairy.

Happily, Mary Beth Maziarz is not afraid to sound airy-fairy in her book Kick-Ass Creativity: An Energy Makeover for Artists, Explorers, and Creative Professionals, and I'm grateful she's not because it means that she wrote this:

Every day you have the potential to make contributions to the universe that no one else can possibly provide. You've got something special to offer. You're gifted, even. Creators like you share a gift of trust--in themselves and a higher source. You're one of the brave ones, the bold ones, the ones fearless enough to make huge changes and impacts on the world. You find the time that seems to elude everyone else, you believe in your visions, and you courageously stand beside your works and take the heat or applause, respectively. Let's just say how it is: you've got it goin' on. 

There are other wonderful things about you. You're no stranger to creative energy--how it flows, how it slows, how it occasionally is served by large quantities of caffeine or a new relationship. You generally feel like you get it, even if you haven't always mastered it. You've probably learned to work with (well, tolerate) your inner critic, the occasional fear of failure (or success), and funky productivity rhythms. You may have even done some energy-enhancing work, like positively affirming yourself, jotting into idea journals, and learning the value of daily clearing rituals, all with good results. It's special and rare what you do. You risk! You sacrifice! You take chances, make choices, and give the time, thought, and effort necessary to carve a place for creation in your daily life, whether as a passion, hobby, or full-time career. Day by day, step by step, you discover and embody the life of an artist. You are one who creates. 

Isn't that kind of affirming and energising?

These two paragraphs gave me such relief, I realised that I've been thirsty for a positive way of thinking about my creative profession. It's not just selfish to be a writer -- it's kinda great. It doesn't have to be all loserdom and self-doubt and being broke and pushing a rock uphill. It's something to be celebrated -- now, even if the royalty cheques haven't started rolling in yet.

I want more of this language, even if just to counter that voice in my own head that chimes in at the worst possible moment to tell me I don't deserve respect for my work until it pays the bills and even then...

And I want this language to become more a part of the conversation about our work, our arts and culture. Let's focus on the benefits -- to ourselves, our families, and our community. Let's move toward a world where pursuing a career in the arts is valued appropriately.

Second class? Let's call bullshit.