From my perspective, we can make change and foster solidarity through collective and individual creation- it is about inclusivity, support, and creativity.
Thanks for this optimistic argument for artistic collectives.
Throughout the early parts of this piece I was thinking, "all well and good, but it assumes that the artist can efficiently navigate/ stomach social media.." When there's only so much time to create, there's even less time left to be a committed critic - which seems to be the only way to gain access to a network and potential audience. It requires a style of interaction online that simply doesn't sit well with a digital non-native. Moreover, it blurs the line between sincere appreciation and self-promotion in such a profoundly souring way that both the artistic producer and consumer in me threaten to quit altogether.
This is why the notion of the collective outlined here is really encouraging - the deeper interpersonal connection and support, the more centralised editorial work - it all feels so much more like home than confusedly stumbling through the dark cathedral filled with disembodied voices.
What I would like to see is are transparent entry points for such communities, but I'm still trying to imagine what they would look like. It certainly seems that these things work better if not restricted to local networking - the internet having facilitated the meetings of many like minds over great distances - one of its few virtues. But my distaste for the current social media based options for engagement remains. This very comment is submitted with such a heavy heart!
Great post! Our little Substack record label idea- LaBelaBel is doing something similar- it would be great to build and grow with more folks. https://miter.substack.com/p/signing-a-dotted-linelabelabel
From my perspective, we can make change and foster solidarity through collective and individual creation- it is about inclusivity, support, and creativity.
Thanks for this optimistic argument for artistic collectives.
Throughout the early parts of this piece I was thinking, "all well and good, but it assumes that the artist can efficiently navigate/ stomach social media.." When there's only so much time to create, there's even less time left to be a committed critic - which seems to be the only way to gain access to a network and potential audience. It requires a style of interaction online that simply doesn't sit well with a digital non-native. Moreover, it blurs the line between sincere appreciation and self-promotion in such a profoundly souring way that both the artistic producer and consumer in me threaten to quit altogether.
This is why the notion of the collective outlined here is really encouraging - the deeper interpersonal connection and support, the more centralised editorial work - it all feels so much more like home than confusedly stumbling through the dark cathedral filled with disembodied voices.
What I would like to see is are transparent entry points for such communities, but I'm still trying to imagine what they would look like. It certainly seems that these things work better if not restricted to local networking - the internet having facilitated the meetings of many like minds over great distances - one of its few virtues. But my distaste for the current social media based options for engagement remains. This very comment is submitted with such a heavy heart!
It was the soaring 20s manifesto thingee that got me started! This is boho jazz up of me come realized.
Utter encouragement and I'm booming... Well... Is 41 subscribers big?
Some people seem to like my tales of the gen x hobo life.
Thanks!!