Attending arts events, following artists on social media, and buying local art are all great ways to individually support the arts. Artists davita galloway and Bree Stallings, who were the speakers at the September Lunch & Learn facilitated by Alli Celebron-Brown, would encourage you to do all of the above. But they also made a passionate and convincing argument that more is needed to break down systemic barriers to creating a more equitable cultural sector in Charlotte.
Talent is not the issue. There are lots of local creative people who, like Bree and davita, are driven to create art to express themselves, heal wounds, build community, and offer solutions to complex problems. The challenge is that many of them have to work multiple jobs and lack access to the resources (time, space, money) that will allow them to pursue their dreams. They need health insurance, affordable housing, studio space, and more. And they need to be compensated for their time and expertise.*
Most big cities have multiple funding streams for the arts, they explained, and they hope that the recent change in the Arts & Science Council model will create more avenues for arts funding rather than just shift resources from one entity to another. We need “a concerted effort in sustaining, appreciating, and feeding the arts,” said davita, one that will not only bring artists in to activate an area of the city but also make a long-term commitment to their success.
“Art can be the impetus for a reaction,” said Bree. For example, the Black Lives Matter mural in Uptown brought visibility to the movement and engaged the community in new ways. Over a year later, the mural may have faded as cars pass up and down Tryon St but its legacy endures. Proof that the cultural sector can be a vehicle for social change with the right investment of time and resources.
*As a result of WIF’s DEI Task Force work, all community experts, including Bree and davita, are now compensated for their time participating in panels and educational events.
davita’s 10 ways to support your local creatives:
- do your research and find them
- step outside your norm and visit other places/areas/neighborhoods
- get comfortable with being uncomfortable
- stop trying to haggle over art pricing
- visit galleries and exhibits outside of uptown
- follow them on social media to stay connected
- heeey!! guess what? referrals are great!!
- the obvious, support your local creatives! yes, actually do it!!
- donate to arts-based nonprofits, programs, and events
- strike up a conversation. it’s super humanizing and can blur the lines of ‘we don’t have anything in common.’
davita’s got some cool speaking events coming up so check them out here, here, and here (Promo Code 3PSPKRFF10).
Bree Stallings is installing and curating a huge exhibit ‘Of Earth and Sky,’ that will run September 27 through October 31 in and around uptown Charlotte. It showcases 46 poems that will bloom all over, including one at the McColl Center. Learn more here.
Watch the recording of the Lunch & Learn event HERE.
