Other creators intrigue me. I like to know what enabled them to succeed or what they overcame to make their work. I’m fascinated by the humanness of their stories. Yet, I’m a writer who has specialized in business content and works as a freelance sole proprietor. So, I also can’t help but pay attention to the logistics and economics behind art. How do people find and maximize the capital necessary to create in a way that feasibly pays the bills? And how do they connect with the people who can help and get the ball rolling?
How people got money to use their gifts in earlier eras
Hundreds of years ago, artists survived primarily by paid commissions from patrons. To get a start, most artists first served as apprentices under masters, who often would delegate parts of jobs as the apprentice learned. A patron could ask masters to have their best students contribute to projects. Masters also could recommend that a patron allow the student to have the opportunity to complete a job. The arrangement was win-win-win. The master could accept more projects to make more money. The apprentice was able to begin making a name for themselves. The patrons could commission plenty of pieces that would leave no doubt about their wealth and influence.
Patrons of earlier eras wanted to see some proof that they’ll get a good result before they cough up any money. So, it wasn’t unusual, for example, for a sculptor to deliver a miniature version of the work they were going to carve. The patron could reject or accept these initial proofs. They also often commissioned based on topics they wanted, rather than allowing the artist to create whatever they were inspired to make.
A contemporary conundrum and potential power imbalance
Like their earlier counterparts, today’s investors have a say in an individual’s output, want a good return, and often ask for proof of concept. Getting a sponsor for Faithful on the Clock might mean that I have to include ads for the investor in an episode, for instance. And to get a sponsor, I’d have to create a formal proposal to show investors the value of the podcast.
But increasingly, the demands of contemporary investors can border on the overly restrictive, if not the absurd. The video below, although focusing on human services, captures the idea of how funders can severely interfere with a recipient’s output.
My worry is that, because investor demands are increasing, it’s getting harder for people to explore the gifts God has given to them, whether that’s sculpting, keeping a business humming, or supporting the sick. Young people with incredible talent who need money can have that talent stifled by their wealthy patrons, who can be powerful companies. In traditional book publishing, for instance, the major companies that are able to give decent book advances (e.g., Penguin/Random House) don’t always give an author a choice about what the cover of their book will be.
Michelangelo, a case study
Michelangelo studied painting under Domenico Ghilandaio and learned other forms of art while still young. In 1497, Cardinal Jean de Bilhères-Lagraulas commissioned Michelangelo to create a funeral monument. The following year, at just 24, Michelangelo delivered this, the masterpiece known as The Pieta. The work depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus after the crucifixion.
What if, today, a budding Michelangelo was commissioned…but only if he’d supply the marble himself? Or, what if the cardinal could dictate the chisels Michelangeo picked up? What if Michelangelo had to stop work every 30 minutes to let everyone who might hear that the cardinal would be holding mass at 8 o’clock?
I do not take issue with the fact that investors expect to have some degree of control over what a person does with funds or other resources. It’s reasonable to want some say to protect an investment and make sure that someone delivers what they promised. But I worry that perhaps the power dynamic is often greatly imbalanced in favor of those with the money.
What I see is essentially a war between the gifts of God and the treasures of the world, which Jesus instructed us not to covet. How can creators like me deliver their gifts and beauty to the world if the world is in the way?
I don’t have an answer for the conundrum. But as I continue to work on the show, write, and compose music, I know that I don’t want having money to hold me or anyone else back. As the one with the gifts, fight for your full expression and ability to serve. As the investor, let your money set people free.
Image credit:
Carlos Alvarenga from Pixabay