It's a common refrain among those who work in the creative industries and follow the cultural scene closely: New York City, which has incubated a century of the world's leading artists, musicians, and performers, will cease to be a place where art is made.Pricey city drives out artists
Another concern is that the transformation of neighborhoods where artists congregate, like the East Village or Williamsburg, has dispersed a community that relies on proximity and relationships.
And many artists say that economic pressures in the city are so intense that they have to spend all their time trying to make ends meet rather than devote themselves to their passion.
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And many artists say that economic pressures in the city are so intense that they have to spend all their time trying to make ends meet rather than devote themselves to their passion.
This has always been the case for artists and they know this starting out. In the past many of these same folks made millions occupying and living in lofts illegally and took advantage of their "starving artist" status. Most of these folks made money in real estate not "art" or what most would consider art. Thet choose to live here because their art is exposed to and bought by the rich. Send these folks to Iowa and see if can sell their art, they will be back here in a flash - still complaining as is their wont.
"And many artists say that economic pressures in the city are so intense that they have to spend all their time trying to make ends meet rather than devote themselves to their passion."
Isn't this true for all of us?
From the article: "Historically. artists go into blighted neighborhoods and that's where they live and set up shop," said Elizabeth Currid, author of "The Warhol Economy: How Fashion, Art and Music Drive New York City." "Those spaces don't exist anymore. . . ."
New York is seeing its blighted neighborhoods disappear? Sounds like a great thing to me. I agree with the first commenter. Artists have complained about making their rents for decades, this is nothing new.
"Max's Kansas City".....an old hangout for artists
who left the central plains states
to come to the city of OZ with high hopes
of grabbing some fame & fortune in the early 60s....
is long gone.
The continued belly aching by "artists"
who can't afford to make their rent is not!
Jesus carried his own cross for a while
but he knew before hand
what his final fate would be.
Up and coming "suffering artists"
can't expect to eat caviar, drink Dom Perignon
....or even eat well for that matter.
The likes of Van Gogh and the others didn't.
The sacrifice that is endured is the midwife of art.
Life is tough enough, even for us common mortals.!
Part of "making it"in the arts , unfortunately,
involves paying your dues....costly as they might be.
Membership in the "successfully creative club"
is open only to an exclusive few....sorry.
Maybe it's time for novices to bypass NYC
for the opportunities that abound
in cities like Pittsburgh, for example.
I'm not making fun.
I've visited there twice recently.
If I were starting out I'd opt for a city like Pittsburgh in a New York heartbeat!
With the Carnegie/Melon backing....
that city has got possibilities
and the living spaces for artists are great.
Bet on a long shot and get in on the ground floor.
Since ART is now a worldwide web market...
there's no longer any need to be tied to a Dinosaur like New York!
NYC's time has come....and is long gone
as far as it being the creative capitol of the world.
Remember....Paris had once held that same distinction in bygone days.
The future awaits! The choice is yours.
If somebody paid to watch me f--k all day....
I could devote myself to "my passion" full time.
But not everyone can be a successful porn star.
The rest of us 9 to 5 it....
in order to earn our daily bread.
Then we grab our 15 minutes of fame
(or passion) at the end of a long hard workday.
Yeah....
don't we all wish there was a better way!
I'm tired of all the BS....
"I'm an effete artist....kiss my ring".
Well...."I'm a working stiff.....kiss my ass" !
Look, the city jumps through hoops for the sports, corporate, and developers groups using our hard earned money to give them tax breaks or turning over the city resources to them on our tab (hello Mighty John Young).
And of course, we don't have to discuss the tweeded and the taxpayer support they get.
So, hell, why not the arts?
At least they do something useful.
Well, yes, you do have a point, the tweeded do wash dishes and the like, but, you know, for a stipend, why not artists? Afterall, they are citizens entitled to our attention.
gee - poor folks have to work for a living?
send them my way. we are actually trying to draw all the bohonk bohemians.
it's a cycle. First you win, and win a lot. Then you lose, and fail spectacularly. Then you start to win again.
Its why I left NY in the first place, and why I hope those non-productive members of society stay in trendy places and leave my livable city alone.
In Medieval times court jester were fools who entertained royalty to stay alive or do what the other serfs did then, slave away in the fields and soldier. No different today - do the lazy art thing or work like the rest of us serfs.
In Medieval times court jester were fools who entertained royalty to stay alive or do what the other serfs did then, slave away in the fields and soldier. No different today - do the lazy art thing or work like the rest of us serfs.
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In Medieval times court favorites were given charters to exploit people based upon monies (then called bribes, today, campaign contributions) given to the powers that be.
The government was run in secrect, then in the privy chamber, today in the clubhouse.
The public was given no meaningful role except to pay taxes and cheer when prompted when Queen Claire, sorry, Queen Elizabeth sailed stately by.
The public never heard about anything beyond their village. Today, the newspapers balkanize our borough and never report that while citizens in one part is given the bullshit that devlopment is good, the other part is downzoning, or (gasp) in France, or Manhattan, they are landmarking entire communities.
A court jester is funny. A crude absentee landlord interested in squezing every penny out of a serf is, well, Medieval.
Is it not time for Queens to catch up with the rest of the country?
It is a backwater thanks to the clubhouse, and as long as their foot is on our necks it will stay that way.
Oh cut the crap.
New York has dwindled into becoming
primarily just an art market.....
a mall where wares are bought & sold.
It has long ceased to be the mecca
for the production of "genuine" art that it once was.
There are only remnants left.
The creative soil, rain, sun and fertilizer
started vanishing about 40 years ago!
I regularly visit those twee Chelsea
"art" galleries hawking their ersatz
decorative, non-idea creations,
without any real soul.
Aspiring artists can still have plenty of time to ply away at their craft while working full-time so long as they get the "right type" of 9-5 job:
1. One that doesn't "require" overtime and is truly 9-5.
2. One that doesn't require a long commute: 45 minutes tops.
3. One that doesn't call for any great mental or physical expenditure, ideally some monotonous, dull clerical job.
Source: My own experience. I've been doing this for 10 years and have been making $ from my "art" for the last several. When I first got into art I tried going the starving artist route but quickly buckled under the constant strain of trying to find dives to crash at.
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