As artists from non-wealthy backgrounds disappear, so does the richness of our artistic landscape.
Individuals who come from low-income backgrounds, particularly immigrants and people of colour, are pressured to avoid pursuing art in hopes of achieving upwards social mobility. Aspiring poets lay down their dreams to become programmers, all in the name of future employability.
The arts are spoken about as a career option that’s only viable for those who already come from wealthy backgrounds. Art is seen as an expensive activity to fund, whose greatest fruits are often intangible. Art is increasingly sidelined in favour of jobs in science, engineering, and business that provide more immediate rewards.
People who are passionate about art, but don’t come from privileged backgrounds, may never be afforded the opportunities to cultivate their abilities. The result is an arts landscape that’s less interesting and diverse, and a society that sees less of itself reflected in the art it makes.
In the UK, where great working-class artists like David Bowie and The Beatles arose, the numbers of workers from similar backgrounds in the creative arts have fallen by half over four decades. A lack of early life opportunities to become involved in the arts pre-emptively cuts people off from what could be a rich career or a satisfying hobby.
A paucity of working-class artists means a lack of art that challenges and disrupts convention.
Art introduces us to powerful ideas, touching and shaping lives in ways no other human endeavour can. When only a small subset of people is given the tools to make and appreciate art, only a small subset of varying individual perspectives is expressed.
This in turn narrows our breadth of collective thought and experience, leaving the rest of the population naïve to the true power and purpose of art and limiting our ability to empathize and connect with others’ lives.
The arts are so devalued today precisely because few even receive the chance to have a formative experience with art, or fully understand its potential. Stressful working conditions and a rising cost of living keep individuals too busy trying to survive to spend time creating and enjoying art.
Careers in STEM are increasingly subsidized and supported by governments and universities for the technological and economic returns they provide.
This trend concords with a value system that places innovation, progress, and profit overall, without considering the human impact of these developments. While the sciences help us understand the world around us, only the arts can touch the world within.
Ironically, more artists are posturing themselves as self-made than ever nowadays, despite their often-privileged backgrounds. The image and the appeal of the gritty, maverick working-class artist remains, though the real thing has all but disappeared.
A thriving arts scene is one that welcomes and encourages difference, including socioeconomic difference. Art should be supported as a more accessible pursuit for all.
Anne is a third-year health sciences student and a member of The Journal’s BIPOC Advisory Board.
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