A love letter to the artists

Creating art is a revolutionary act.

Don’t misunderstand me…I didn’t say ‘art is activism’. Activism belongs in its own category and requires intentional action specifically focused on achieving political or social change.

Art, on the other hand, is revolutionary at its very core. The power of societal transformation is already there, inherent in the nature of the thing itself.

Skeptical? I’ll tell you why.

Art is human and personal. It is centered around the individual experience and perspective of the artist and how that expression translates to the person encountering it.

When we consume art, we are engaging in the radical act of seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. When we extend our POV beyond our own lived experience and peer through another human’s viewfinder, we open ourselves up to empathy.

That is revolutionary.

Empathy is not just a “nice thing to aspire to.” It’s revolutionary because it disrupts the culture of disconnection. It challenges the “us vs. them” narrative that has been used for centuries to maintain hierarchy and keep the ruling class in power.

Because at the core of any revolutionary movement, there must first be a strong pull of the people to band together in a common cause. To recognize the humanity in one another is the first and most essential act of resistance, the foundation on which all movements for justice and freedom are built upon.

That is why stories are so impactful. A good storyteller allows us to inhabit another person’s experience so completely that we find ourselves utterly invested in their outcome. (think about the last great novel you read or T.V. series you binged)

But these moments of shared humanity happen in all artforms.

🎶Music can unlock deep emotions that point to unexposed truth.

🎨A painting or sculpture can speak directly to our subconscious, connecting us through symbolism that transcends language.

🎪And then there’s Circus…

Circus has a special superpower. It makes the impossible possible. It celebrates the strength, resilience, and grit required to achieve the extraordinary. And right now, the world needs that reminder more than ever.

But it doesn’t stop there. We witness incredible feats in sports, too, but circus is unique because it also merges so many art forms: dance, music, theatre. This fusion of storytelling, symbolism, and emotion creates a multi-dimentional experience that can transform both the artist and the audience.

Historically, circus has also been a refuge for the outsiders, for those who chose to run away and defy the status quo. That nonconformity is essential to revolution. Society needs examples of people who dare to go off the beaten path, who refuse to fit neatly into the roles they were given.

Artists, by nature, are seekers. We chase the novel, the original. To do that, we must constantly challenge our own assumptions, think beyond the familiar, and search for new ways of seeing. In a world where conformity is often used to keep people quiet and in-line, this kind of creative rebellion is essential.

To create art, especially in times like these, is to build a bridge between artist and viewer, where both can emerge changed, seeing and thinking differently than before.

Now, in the age of AI, it’s even more important than ever to make art from a uniquely human place, (one reason why i love live performance so much. Let’s see AI try to replicate that!) to cut through the noise of sameness and celebrate the individual voice that only you can create.

I know I’m not alone in feeling like sometimes there’s nothing I can do to help the state of the world. But remember, (as I remind myself) artists have always been a strong undercurrent for societal change, holding a mirror up to the human experience and guiding society toward transformation long before historians or politicians catch up.

So whether your art is socio-political in nature or even if it’s not. Whether it’s profound, funny, crass, or absurd…whatever the tone or form; I believe that the world needs your art.