Where have all the artists gone? This question seems to have a simple answer: they’re on our billboards, in our earbuds and on display in the museums. We buy tickets to see them and purchase their artworks, therefore funding their creativity. So, the question might better be asked like this: what happened to art for artist’s sake?
In recent years, access to art and its means of production is more widespread than ever before. There are endless opportunities to draw, paint, sing and write, and an equal amount of places to share that art with the world. Platforms such as Instagram, Spotify, YouTube, Substack and Etsy make this possible. It seems that, with all this access, art should be widely celebrated and respected by our society. But that isn’t quite true.
The reality is, there has been a slow and silent death of respect for art and artists. As a society, artists themselves just aren’t that important to us anymore. In order to be taken seriously in the making of art, you must be selling it for a profit. Otherwise, why do it…right?
That’s just the problem. Modern artists face barriers which have sprung up from our fast-paced, consumerist world. They are faced with deadlines and rent payments barreling toward them. They are expected to churn out pieces at the speed which the customer wishes.
Yet, even if we travel back to the time of the Italian Renaissance, it seems they faced a similar problem. We would find ourselves in an era that transformed the role of artists in society; the era that produced greats such as Michelangelo and da Vinci. At this time, masterpieces of grand scale were produced on a widespread basis. Some of these works included “David,” “School of Athens” and “The Last Supper.” Passion fueled these pieces, and the artist was raised to an exalted status. They weren’t just menial workers anymore, they were the leaders of innovation in their society. They created art because their urge to create beauty was stronger than any other within them — stronger than hunger, sleep or pleasure. Their craft was valued and even had a sort of spirituality to it. Those with the gift were able to fully realize their artistic potential.
These artists still worked for commissions and adhered to strict deadlines. So what is the difference between them and artists now? The truth is, there isn’t much of one, at least in the process by which they make a living. The difference is in the level of respect we, as consumers, give the artists and their art.
A musician who publishes an album one week is grilled with questions the next. When are they going on tour next? How much will merch be? Why aren’t they playing in my city? When’s the next album? They are bombarded with questions like these, which are fueled by people’s need to devour new media. By way of Instagram reels and TikTok, people have been conditioned to expect speed and efficiency.
A recent survey of over 2000 musicians found that, 86% reported experiencing creative burnout, 56% of these artists said this burnout came from stress about social media and 24% said from stress about financial matters. In 2024, the median income for artists was about $56,000, with 66% of American artists reporting that they struggle to pay rent. All of these outside factors put artists under immense pressure to produce art not for their enjoyment, but for the sake of survival.
So, art for the artists’ sake, fades away. People no longer want to take the time to pause, to listen, to look. Art demands something that our culture of endless scrolling rarely encourages: attention. But, if we want to preserve that beauty, our art and our artists, we have to learn to admire and support them. We must learn to respect their time and effort, and value them for what they are: the leaders of thought and innovation for the human race.
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