creative industry needs support

so, support in what sense really?

what’s coming up are a summary of my respective reservations and apprehensions with this phrase, in conversation and in the media:

“creative industry needs support”

i wonder whether it’s self-fulfilling that you have people in the field saying they aren’t supported and feeling as such. there are many events and pointing towards a healthy and robust creative industry. however, one wonders how the momentum can translate into a wider audience before it is lost. hilang tia momentumnya

a notion of “support” is felt amongst peers in the creative field but fails to translate beyond their respective groups. the phrase, “creative industry needs support” is really the call out for wider support among the public.

the ideal here is an audience that does not have an arts education. an audience that may firstly be dismissive of the creative work but can slowly understand its value. an audience that is willing to part with their money for a cultural product that is understood to have value.

FIRSTISM stop the notion what you are doing is the first. your work is building on the respective work of previous generations. research. understand. firstism sets your work, whether it is an event or performance, apart from others. a bubble where it is hard to understand its relevance.

what is more essential is to set creative work amongst or in situ to broader contexts. this is will help to bridge an audience that might not have a full understanding of creative work.

CROSS-COLLABORATION collaboration across the disciplines. working within your field will narrow your scope and audience. not just artistic disciplines but through industries.

AUDIENCE consider your audience. listen to them. when talking about your work, talking about “feelings” or “vibe” may not be the best way to open up your audience to it. don’t expect your audience to understand how to conduct themselves within a creative environment. guide them with expectations. create an environment that is open and welcoming for people from across different age groups, socio-economic backgrounds, social status, gender.

IMPACT what do you expect, not in terms of short-term goals like reaching a certain amount of views but what the audience should take away. are you expecting them to create their own work from their experience? form their own opinions about the subject? after your creative work is consumed, what is the aftertaste? the lingering feeling they should be left with?

LEGACY sharing the tools allowing for others to build, reframe or recontextualise your work. this could also be considered as open-sourcing. perhaps write down and share how you did your work. talk to other people in your field to share experience and expertise. this will help build local knowledge of your profession and guide others.

so, support in what sense really?