Patron Thoughts

[red-trillium.livejournal.com]

While I do create, I don't currently use my photography for crowdfunding. I mostly drop coins into crowdfunding-hats (both the virtual and the literal kinds). ysabetwordsmith asked some of us who are more patronly-inclined to share our thoughts on crowdfunding.

In real-life I've supported musicians and a street performer (mime) who busk on the street I work on. I sometimes go on a walk at lunch to get away from the frustrations at work and to specifically drop coins in hats along the way.

Online I've supported a film, stories, art, photography, poetry, divination, a small publisher and a start-up business. Wow, when I list it I didn't realise how much I've done in the last year and a half to couple of years being introduced to the concept of Crowdfunding!

Most of my online support has been to people I've met on LiveJournal or Dreamwidth. I start by enjoying their work and after reading/viewing for awhile realise I really want to support their efforts and show my appreciation. It's kind of a "thank you, please do something again soon!". I've also supported a couple of things over on Kickstarter. There's a lot on there and I try to keep my budget under control so I don't tend to support a lot there.

Recently I discovered a musician I really like. She's working on building a music career. She busks on Queen Street (legal if you have a license and follow a few rules), has a cd, plays at farmer's markets. I've heard her a couple times on Queen Street but don't usually get the chance to listen for very long. When I found she'd be playing at a local farmer's market I jumped at the chance!

I had a good time, felt myself relaxing as I walked around and picked up some stuff and then later sat and listened to her play. It was nice to connect and just take time to enjoy her voice and her music. I realised I wasn't used to the smaller audience and more direct contact with a musician. I don't usually sit and watch the buskers at work for very long, and other than that I haven't watched much live music in decades other than large-audience concerts and I have missed it.

Crowdfunding is like that visit. As a society we seem to become more accustomed to mass-produced things, from the food we buy to the gifts, to our entertainment. Face-to-face interactions with artists becomes less common, and I wonder if people will become uncomfortable with it or not realise it's ok, that it's a great way to influence and further be influenced by art/artists.

Comments

[red-trillium.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Another issue I see is that people would then undervalue small artists. There are always the people who appreciate well-made craft items, but to others it's not as good because it wasn't store bought. How much more so will this kind of an attitude spread to writers, painters, musicians, and so on. While there seems to be a resurgence of interest in physical crafts (partly driven by the recession I think), I don't know if we'd see the same in other art forms.

A rough analogy is how many people have gotten away from gardening so there are city kids who don't where food comes from, who wouldn't know what a tomato plant or apple tree looks like. I wonder if we'll see something similar, where non-artists will not realise that they can interact with those who inspire their music, writing, etc. We'll always have artists in society but will they become more marginalised in the search for technology and mass-produced stuff? Will young artists who are just being born now and over the next 100 years be able to express themselves without some sort of social stigma being attached for something they created with their hands, or will it go the opposite way and will artists become more admired for their ability to create something?

I hope for the second of those 2 situations!

[minor-architect.livejournal.com]

A rough analogy is how many people have gotten away from gardening so there are city kids who don't where food comes from, who wouldn't know what a tomato plant or apple tree looks like. . .We'll always have artists in society but will they become more marginalised in the search for technology and mass-produced stuff?

This is a great analogy and I hope its core message won't ever be widely associated with the arts, crafts, and entertainment. Songs, novels, poetry, and the like all come from people - unless they're produced by AIs sitting inside a lab somewhere. In my opinion, that link between content and its human creators should remain in the forefront of our minds or we'll have scores of young people who believe the Internet spontaneously generates all those things!