Why most “starving artists” are really starving
In an age of capitalism and over-consumerism-core, this article explores why artists struggle to make a living.
Have you ever been to a thrift store or shopping mall and seen a lovely crocheted blanket or sweater hanging on the racks for only $29.99? Well, fun fact, there is currently no way to machine-manufacture crochet. It must be handmade. That means the piece you saw was very underpriced and likely created by someone severely underpaid.
Our society is overrun by capitalism and over-consumerism, to the point where hand-crafted pieces made by artists go underappreciated. A common question that potential consumers ask artists is, “Why is this product so expensive? I can get it on TEMU for cheaper.”
When making a product by hand, artists typically charge a high price for their work because, quite frankly, their pieces are worth a lot of money. An artist needs to consider not only the cost of the materials used to make the product but also the time it took to create it, the shipping costs, marketing costs, costs for a table/booth if they are selling at a farmer’s market, etc. That’s why a single crocheted plush toy could cost $80, or a drawing commission could cost upwards of $100. Any artist selling their products in person also has to pay for the table/booth/store that they are selling at, so they have to gamble on whether or not they’ll even get a return on their investment, let alone make a profit. Frankly, big companies using cheap, underpaid labour and machinery to mass produce their products helps keep their product costs low, making them more desirable to consumers than average hand-made goods.
Within the last few years, artists have also had to deal with a new challenge: AI. Especially concerning visual and written artworks, AI has hurt the creative industry, angering the community for numerous reasons. Firstly, AI-generated art is quicker, cheaper, and more accessible than art created by an artist. This steals business from artists, as consumers who’d typically opt for an art commission can now “create” the piece themselves with AI. Secondly, AI isn’t an original creator. It essentially takes artwork from various artists online and remixes them to produce a plagiarized product. This operation lacks consent as artists, writers, and singers never agreed to allow AI to use their art, writing, and vocals for their generative machine. Especially not when the artists aren’t receiving any financial compensation.
One thing that has helped artists sell their products is social media. While social media does have its downsides (like allowing AI access to art published on their site or using algorithms that prioritize certain types of media over others), it also has a lot of benefits for small businesses. Artists can use social media to reach a wider audience, especially with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts having similar formatting, allowing artists to repost a video on multiple sites for more people to see. More importantly, social media fosters a community where many different kinds of artists from all over the world can work together to uplift, promote, and support each other.
