Art and the economy

It has been nothing but doom and gloom in the news for several months now.

Sadly, we are in a severe economic downturn, and many people have lost their jobs, or their homes, or have seen their retirement funds pummeled.

Among the various sectors in the economy, the arts are particularly vulnerable. I recall reading somewhere that the average income of an artist in Canada is around $5,000 a year. That probably represents a mix of full-time and part-time artists, but no matter how you cut it, making a living as an artist is never easy.

At several shows this fall, I heard artists lamenting that sales were down dramatically from last year, sometimes by more than half. At one show, 28 artists manged to sell 7 pieces over 10 days.

Admittedly, art is seen by many as a luxury, and when you have to decide between art and your mortgage .... well, no contest. Nonetheless, I'd like to ask you to consider the arts in these times of economic distress. If you can afford it, buy tickets to a concert, go to an art show, or donate to an arts group. Without continued patronage from art lovers, our art community will be badly hurt in this troubled economy.