The other day found me wandering around Facebook. A group post caught my attention. An organization was interested in showcasing the diverse talents of its community. It wanted to reach out to dancers and musicians in various genres to audition for a chance to perform on stage in front of people that would be interested in their work. The top five acts would be selected for this wonderful opportunity. Because I do not engage in Facebook drama, I posted something on my on wall.
What makes people think that artists want to perform for free? A quality arts education program is not cheap because most of it is done through private lessons. Such people often train from childhood and have a wide variety of fees which are associated with their passion. I wondered if this organization would feel comfortable conducting business without a financial transaction? If musicians perform for free, they can not eat dinner. If an artist paints a picture and gives it away, they are unable to pay for more paint. If a dancer performs without proper compensation, she may not be able to get that massage that her body needs because she has been in the studio for hours everyday working that routine.
The arts are not something that just happen over night. It is tradition and appears in every single culture on earth. They contribute to health, wellness, religion, and spirituality. Whenever the arts are removed from schools, the crime rate increases. It goes against the natural order of life. Is it that severe you ask? Think about starting your day in the Spring and never hearing the birds sing. How would that make you feel? The next time that you watch JAWS, turn off the sound and see if that shark is still as scary. Visit the churches in Europe without paying attention to the artistry.
People fail to understand the value of such beauty. People do not understand the passion that is involved in creativity because perhaps they lack it themselves. Such lack of respect and ignorance contributes to this constant advertisement of: perform for free, do this for a lower price. I see it everywhere. I should seek an organization that fights such things because it is getting on my nerves.