The world sits in a strange state at the moment.

The cost of living (breathing) is hitting hard all over the world. We are struggling to afford the roofs over our heads and the food on our tables. The world is hurtling towards climate chaos. We’ve experienced the first almost five years of a pandemic that made our lives confusing and odd. We are seeing wars happen right in the palms of our hands. Our workloads are endless and the pay is never enough. We are told to manage our mental health, but when and how?

Consumerism and capitalism chime in and say you need to buy a yoga retreat weekend. You just need a holiday to Fiji. You only need a better car, or a new wardrobe to feel again. But all of this is a lie. We need ART.

Over decades and decades our culture has de-prioritised art. Whether it’s writing, dancing, painting, sewing, woodworking or beyond, we consistently turn to the wrong things to fill the hole in our soul. Making and consuming art regularly is the only way to fill the hole.

Consumerism and capitalism are also predicated on locking you into work – work which keeps you away from your art. I’m not saying we should never work, but particularly in the West, we work longer hours each and every year. We barely see our partners, friends or children, but praise the heavens we have a nice salary.

With the nice salary comes lifestyle inflation. We want and get nicer “things” because we can afford it. But those things don’t improve the contentment we feel about our own lives. The hole remains.

This is where art is needed, and this is why artists must do whatever they can to prioritise their art. In years past people didn’t have the sheer amount of items we have now, and they were much happier, because they prioritised making and consuming art. The theatre, dance, orchestras, bands, books, galleries – these were the artforms and places that brought real meaning to peoples lives and filled the void.

We need to bring art back into the limelight again. If you’re an artist of any kind, keep writing or performing and do not hide your art from the world. Share it with everyone that you can. You MUST. Because we all need to experience the joy of your creation. Screw aiming for perfection – aim for deeply felt, meaningful art, with mistakes and bumps and off-centered outlines. Make it messy, make it meaningful.

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Photo by Hannah Olinger.