Art industry leaders are urging young people to view creative careers as a viable path, noting that too many abandon the idea because they doubt it can provide a stable livelihood.
The call came on Monday during the press preview of Where Are the Tenderness, the first exhibition under The Ripple Effect, a new Clara Lionel Foundation/Mellon Foundation initiative supporting local and regional artists, at Caribbean Brushstrokes Gallery.
Clara Lionel Foundation’s (CLF) Head of Programmes, Amina Doherty, said she has repeatedly heard young artists describe art as “a nice to have” or something done “on the side”.
“I heard over and over again… this art can’t be my bread and butter,” she said.
“That was a real impetus for us in developing this fellowship, to encourage people to step away from that thinking and imagine what is possible when you have the ability to create without being forced to produce for the tourist eye or worry about financial sustainability.”
Doherty said the aim is to “level the playing field” so that anyone, regardless of background, feels welcome in art spaces, whether as a creator, collector, or participant.
Annalee Davis, founding director of the Fresh Milk Art Platform (a Barbados-based non-profit, artist-led organisation), said financial pressures pushed many artists to tailor their work to certain markets, often at the expense of their own vision.
“Sometimes they don’t even realise what it is they want to make because they have to perform for a particular sector,” she said.
“The wider ecosystem requires a lot more investment at the State, philanthropic, and private sector level so people can see the arts as a viable future.”
Davis recalled the words of the popular St Lucian poet Derek Walcott during a past CARIFESTA: “People in the Caribbean should not choose between bread and poetry. They want both.”
Also adding to the conversation, Fresh Milk Director of Programmes Katherine Kennedy said parental reluctance to support children pursuing art is often rooted in concern about financial stability.
“But we’ve seen the impact of informal art spaces like Fresh Milk in creating opportunities, building networks and encouraging collaboration,” she said.
“Trying to sustain a practice alone can be overwhelming… community makes it possible.”
Organisers said initiatives like the CLF fellowship aim to help remove barriers, build confidence and ensure more young people can see themselves building lasting careers in the creative sector. (SM)
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