The Importance of Creative Community
So you find yourself alone in your room, with nothing to do. You could switch on the tv, zone out for a couple of hours; maybe put on that album you’ve been waiting for the right moment to listen to. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably end up doing some combination of both, setting the visual vibe with an aesthetics-driven movie, headphones in with the latest sonic obsession, attempting to breed creative inspiration through a constant cacophony of media input. If you’re anything like me, it doesn’t work.
Creativity and creative people have a reputation. Our most common and notorious depictions of creativity show it harbored by a single “creative genius,” sent into a spiraling turmoil over love or life, using their gift to fall deeper into isolation; think Vincent Van Gogh; think Einstein. This idea that permeates throughout society often wiggles its way into higher education with the arts specifically, and in our current zeitgeist, has shifted to an even harsher “skill development” guise, completely overlooking that art and creativity are innate human experiences, stemming from the most basic human need: to communicate.
The less romanticized versions of our two “creative genius” examples show that Van Gogh and Einstein both had been influenced by the work of those who came before them, as well as those of whom they considered colleagues. In fact, Anthony of The Creative Revolution wrote in 2023, “Creativity isn’t reserved for the isolated; it’s a fundamental aspect of our shared humanity. It’s about connections – connections between ideas, between people, between different ways of seeing the world.” In other words, the most creative, and oftentimes the most innovative ideas typically come about through multiple inputs and perspectives; we wouldn’t have intersectional feminism without BIPOC and Trans communities recognizing the shortcomings of previous waves of feminism.Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Anthony beautifully describes community as not just a group of individuals, but “a dynamic organism that breathes life into ideas and ignites them with collective energy.” This organism fosters an environment with open communication, freedom of self-expression, mutual respect and other perfect conditions that beget innovation! Creativity is about the process, rather than the product. And sharing a process with someone can range from instructive to explorative. He likens it to going on an adventure where the destination can be unknown; the best way to navigate through the rolling waves is to keep sailing ahead, together.
Now, open communication in the art world can get sticky, because it opens you and your work up to being critiqued. Constructive criticism is an integral part of growing as individuals, as community, and as we share our honest feedback without judgement, but rather as a conversation, we leave behind parts of our processes that no longer suit us, and integrate new processes that serve us better than before! It is a conversation, not a monologue, and an important conversation at that.
On a psychological level, creative community creates a sense of belonging to those who find it, as well as increases self-esteem through sharing work, sharing ideas, and sharing a piece of themselves in their creative endeavors, and it can even alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Dr. Roberta Ballard writes in her article, What Is Creative Community and Why Should You Have One?, that by fostering an environment in which individuals are seen and heard, creative communities perpetually aid in the mood and even creative-related psychological issues like “imposter syndrome, perfectionism, avoidance,” by providing a safe space to share ideas, work, and even coping strategies.
Probably most importantly, you “share triumphs” in creative communities. There’s nothing more exciting and fulfilling than seeing a project you and your friends genuinely care about come to fruition, knowing that you relied on each other in the way your veins rely on your heart to pump blood through its valves; a complete symbiotic relationship. And just like every critter plays a part in its biome, every person has their roles, however undefined, to keep pushing forward and create a vibrant space for all who inhabit it.
In an age and country that has the utmost focus on individual freedoms, it’s time to utilize those freedoms to create a creative future where fostering new ideas is a collective effort and no voice is unheard. Creatives bring a myriad of solutions to the most common problems. They make us feel things through their work, and make us wonder how someone could’ve possibly communicated an abstract thought you’ve been struggling to describe forever in just a few strokes of a brush. And the only real way we can learn the answer to such things, is to relinquish the information willingly, enthusiastically even, and encourage others to take pleasure in the process one has created for themselves. The age of gatekeeping the creative industries’ secrets is over. It’s time to surround ourselves with those who want to share and grow, together.
Sources:
Anthony. “Never Create Alone Again: The Power of a Creative Community.” The Creative Revolution, 19 June 2023, https://creativerevolution.io/never-create-alone-again-the-power-of-a-creative-community/ .
Ballard, Roberta. What Is Creative Community and Why Should You Have One? 10 Aug. 2023, https://ballard-phd.com/creative-community/ .