Calling all Visionaries and Innovators

Vi•sion•ar•y – A person thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom. Artists are visionaries. Visionaries are innovators.

In•no•va•tor – A person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products.

We need your vision and innovation now more than ever. We are experiencing this unprecedented time together and the unknowns continue to build up.

Life seems to be zooming by while we are seemingly at a complete standstill. What’s not being talked about just yet is what the other side will look like. Or – if it is being discussed – it’s from the vantage point of the economy, in general, certainly not art and how that relates to our micro economies.

If you pause to take in the reality of the situation, one could assume it could be quite some time before life is back to normal and, more to the point, when your industry will be alive and well again. Will our work resume after 3 months? 6 months? A year? And once it resumes, what will the state of mind be for the world? Will I have a job to return to? Will my work still be relevant? These are the questions to think about. The relevancy of your work and how your creative business stays alive in the future depends on your ability to create a vision and innovate now.

While vision and innovation can come in all forms, I want to focus on the most tangible — self producing.

Without going into the litany of benefits that come from self producing, let’s keep it focused on the question at hand: how will my creative business survive this pandemic so that I am able to come out the other side with even more than when this started?

We firmly believe we must be talking about the need for innovation as self producers. Thinking through work that is reflective of the moment and medium. The most obvious examples seem to be related to digital content but – we already live in a digital age, so is that true for you? If so, how does it take on new meaning or form?

Now does not feel like the time to ride out the storm.

Now feels like the time to act and create in accordance to what the future may or may not hold. While we may be couching this under the guise of the future health of your business, this is a creative call to action. This is a reminder that you have what it takes to think outside the box to make sure your creativity is shared in order to do what it has the power to do and, yes, subsequently survive.

To underline my worry, if we wait to see where things stand and try to get back into the game, there could be an entirely different set of rules to play by and none of us need (or can afford) *another* several months to adapt. Adapt now, using your innate vision and innovative sensibilities.

Also by Artist’s Strategy:

Creating Structure When There is None

Freelance Life is One Giant Paintball Fight

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