There is an independence about being an artist; artisan;
crafter; designer; entrepreneur – you make your own living, you make your own
decisions, take your risks and some would say, tend to be less bound by many of
the social ‘norms’. There’s a Facebook poster that goes around once in a while
and it apparently quotes Queen Victoria; it says “Beware of Artists, they mix
with all classes of society and are therefore the most dangerous”. There is
something about expressing yourself – whether it be visual art, literature,
articles like this or poems, song, dance – all of them – that bestows a freedom
on the artist. Sometimes that is revered, but sometimes it is also feared by
those who don’t have that freedom, or who don’t understand it. Should it be
allowed? What is the value or conversely, the danger to society of this
artistic freedom…thinking outside ‘the box’, reshaping boundaries and
redefining normal?
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| Kaftan by SonJ's Wearable Art for CD Cover for Shirley Ann Cyril-Mayers |
We can, if we make a diligent effort to collect information,
get a statistical value for the Creative Industries or any section there-of;
granted, artists are notoriously hard to pin down, don’t always keep records,
far less, accurate records and often operate ‘under the radar’ when it comes to
taxes. Why is that? Is it that we, the artists don’t want to pay our dues? I
know there is reluctance to reveal information for sure, but I think it is more
rooted in misunderstanding of ‘what’s in it for me?’ There is a fear that we
might appear to be ‘alright’ and no-longer receive assistance perhaps. This
begs the question, what is ‘alright’? And for artists/artisans, I get the
impression we are expected to be happy being ‘starving artists’ or at least
living a meagre life somehow, as though the gratification we get from the
‘freedom’ of our chosen career should compensate us when we can’t pay the rent
on time or can’t go to that fete or take a holiday because the income just
isn’t there.
So, that tide is changing, there is no doubt about it; when
I speak to my peers, they want to be on the books, want to be operating as a
‘real’ business, want to know they can take a couple weeks off for a holiday
and things will be fine even without a ‘real job’. And this is where we ALL need to be –
Government, Artist, Consumer – we need to get to grips with the FACT that being
an artist IS a ‘real job’!
So, if even just as a ‘real job’ sector, there needs to be
appropriate support and planning for the healthy development of the industry; subjects
covered in schools, departments properly equipped and supplied with materials
for learning; tertiary and certificate learning; facilities for growing and
running business; purpose built facilities for training, display, sale,
administration, etc – and, accept that the nature of this business is specific
and has specific requirements and seek and follow the counsel of experts in the
field.
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| Handmade sandals by Claudius Edgar |
But aside from the very real potential to earn significant
amounts of local dollars and foreign exchange, provide substantial employment
through staffing and creation of new businesses, and improve the diversity of
product to support our tourism product and industry, there is another
invaluable aspect to the Creative Industries and Arts & Crafts/Creative
Goods are no exception: The development of a creative thinking, problem
solving, appropriate solution finding, healthily able to express society. This
is a reality.
I remember at a Visual Arts Teachers meeting around 2006 or
7, the Ministry official saying that the World Bank had identified the lack of
teaching of the arts from Primary School level as the root cause of the problem
with the island being able to come up with appropriate solutions for all
aspects of life, planning, commerce, engineering etc. Now that just stuck with
me, because I think, if we are honest, we can’t deny that we have ‘built’ some
pretty inappropriate systems and infrastructures over the years and we seem
caught in a repeating cycle of the same mistakes over and over again – another
popular Facebook poster comes to mind; Einstein “The definition of insanity is
doing the same thing over and over again.”
Art and creativity exist not just for their own sakes, but
as the foundations for useful thinking, the catalysts for appropriate action,
the fashioning of the heart and soul of a Nation, giving depth to life and
opportunities for real and rewarding careers to many that suffer from not being
able to find a place within the limitations of mainstream business and the
halls of the Civil Service.
Department of Creative Industries, you have a tall order to
fill and the potential to achieve unprecedented positive change for our island
nation.
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| Looshan Expressions T-shirt and CWAD Crochet Wrap |
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