Another gallery closing … community (vs) profit?

The Hide Gallery, which was big on community and slim on funding is closing. It makes me wonder about the sustainability of grassroots, non profit-oriented creative projects. In a time of cross marketing and product placement and sponsorship and commercials and branding – is there still a place for creatives to exist without the confines of bills?

I’ve seen several art spaces start up and attract us like moths to a flame, do wonderful things, support the art community and then run out of steam. It usually falls on one or two people to do a ton of work or constantly be drumming up people to help out…it leads to burnout. Although the vision remains, the mortal runs out of fuel.

Some places have found the balance between artistic integrity and freedom and commercial success – yet often times these two things are at odds. To those who are able to pull it off…Right On! Go Go Go.

This is the age-old journey of the artist isn’t it? Satisfy your soul, give the people what they want or ideally find a place that the two can reside.

Inspiring Community

I am now a part of a web developers group and I must say, I am deeply inspired to grow as a designer and coder, and to share what I am learning. In a field as vast as web development, you can spend a lifetime pursuing one small aspect of one small corner. There is so much to know and only so much time and energy you can give.

We’ve created an environment where individual can distill some of what they know into a manageable presentation to share with the group and we absorb their expertise (or even amateurish insights) and are better developers for it.

One of the members of our group, I’ve know for over a year, and had no idea that she has taught art and design and is currently focusing on studio lighting and digital photography. Do you think I have a few things to learn from her? Of course! I wish she would present every meeting…but there are so many others.

The creative community is at it’s best when we are supporting each other and sharing information and resources. Our goal should not be to compete and win, but rather to excel as designers, coders and individuals.