Reflections.
I received a message this week from one of my former art pupils / ArtCHAT participant that reads “In Italy. At an art exhibition, saw this and thought of you! You continue to inspire me so much!!” – which is so validating, though not for the reasons you may assume. It’s not about me. Ultimately it is about art – creativity – and her ability to appreciate and see the beauty in it – and her ability to tap into her own creativity and inspire herself. And that is a skill. A skill we should be nurturing – not teaching – guiding. She was just 11 years old when she first started coming to my weekly art sessions, 18 when she left. She is now a young adult who inspires many with her ability to just be herself. She is creating a beautiful life for herself, and that is what I find so validating.
In all the years I have worked with youth and displaced persons, I have not once taught art in the traditional sense. Yes, obviously we have touched on techniques and theory, though in a fluid way, as and when they came up naturally. My focus has always been on tapping into our shared humanity, meeting people on an equal level, entering the creative process together with them – guiding them from within – nurturing and stimulating the creative energy and ways of expressing that is innate in us all.
I loved this work. Though heartbreakingly, I have decided to no longer do it. I have in fact recently donated much of my equipment to an artist & social entrepreneur who I know will make sure it will find its way to those children who will benefit the most, as I know I will no longer have use of it.
My work with youth and displaced persons has always been carried out on a not-for-profit basis, funded by both UDI and IMDI, often also heavily subsidised by me / Context. Tragically however, when it comes to the arts, society seems to be leaning towards supporting only ‘voluntary facilitators’ – expecting that artists can/will work for free – not valuing and or being apathetic of the creative industries / the creative professional. Funding bodies who once supported not-for-profit work - disturbingly – are now also heavily focused towards voluntary, with the added tragedy of prioritising ‘quantity over quality’ and ‘activating over creating and nurturing skillsets’. A systematic down-prioritising and undermining of art and the arts within society.
Consequently, myself and many many others who once did high value work, have found that it has become both economically and energetically unsustainable. When it comes to displaced persons, I see the owners of private – yet publicly funded - refugees centers are making huge profits. When it comes to our future – our children and youth, I see continued cuts withing the arts in the school & culture school systems, and a widening of the gap between the children growing up in the districts, as opposed to the cities, and between those who have parents who can – and are also willing to – pay for the arts, and those whose parents cannot.
Tragic.