Art Vs. Commerce? The business of art.

Most of us got into music because on a deep love for making music. We loved doing it so the next logical step would be to figure out how to make a living doing it. As a result, we attempt to move from the ranks of the amateur to the professional.

 The inherent rub in this transformation comes when art meets commerce. We are conditioned to believe that the creation of art is a mysterious endeavor...a noble pastime that does not need to be concerned with mundane obligations like paying your rent on time or having enough money to buy groceries. Accepting this idea as fact traditionally breeds internal conflict. But does it have to?

Art and commerce are not mutually exclusive though maintaining a balance as a creative professional is difficult to do.

How do we find that magical middle ground?

Our pain comes from trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. By that, I suggest that we can imbue anything with artistic intent regardless of the circumstance. It all depends on how we perceive the work we do.

If the phrase: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is true then we can find beauty in everything we do, see, and experience. Sometimes it shouts out at us, and other times it requires we look a little deeper from a more detached and objective position.

If we step back from our beliefs and conditioned responses, there will be room for us to see an obstacle as a potential opportunity.

Most times we fight our beliefs rather than the reality of what we face.

What does this have to do with the business of music?

Learning to be objective is the first step in assessing the value of the product or service you offer. Without we continually stumble from one obstacle to another...without having the skills to determine what works or doesn’t work.