RUNNING HEAD: ART CRISIS

The Art Survival: A Literature Review

Cecilia Magana
University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract
The importance of art to survive is the income received. It is now taken into consideration
that artist should know the world of business besides the art world. Besides that, the support of
income as well as the community in which an artist live is also important if they want to survive.
Place that have all that comes with a price, and above all, sacrifice of leaving their homes in
pursuit of it because deep down they know that their own city in which they live in, will not give
them the essential materials to reach an artist goals. The motivation one gets when creating
music, a dance, art, etc is in many ways beneficial. That sense of accomplishment helps get them
far and is also a way to relive stress, boost self esteem and odd enough, it is actually a form of
medicine for the body. With all this, the art needs to be recognized with all the positivity that one
gets when their mind and heart is placed in art.

The Art Survival: A Literature Review

Art has been around since the origins of our species, says Robert A. Gabby, MD and
PhD in an interview about art being medicine, for it to have lasted as long as it has says
something right away about how important and central it is to the human existence.(as cited by
Alban, n.d)
Depending on the country, Art is appreciated or it is practiced a lot more. Art is found
from public education to the biggest presentations that travel worldwide. To get to where they
are, much sacrifice is done to reach their goals. Many artists have to run their own business and
need to obtain many occupations since art alone doesnt get them far financially. Money is
always the key factor when it comes to art growing in a place where art doesnt get too far. Art
itself is not necessarily a gift that only some obtain, it is shared to all who have a passion for it
and want to become a lot more than a simple drawing, or a note, a step or a scale. These artist
thirsts to continue on and practice the skills they receive, but for that, money or the location
doesnt help them get that far. This does get people to stop and ask themselves what is to be done
if art needs to survive but many factors bring it down. After close examination, the concerns
over the survival of the Art bring questions upon it:
1. Why do major Art organization (for example art museums) lack funds?
2. What kind of places has the major impact in art (where they support art, or in other words, art
Appreciation)?
3. What are the benefits on a person exposed to Art?

1. Why do major Art organization (for example art museums) lack funds?
For art to happen, it needs to start with money since any organization is equivalent to
business and need some funds in order to grow big. Talent then takes place but when establish
platform to have art displayed or taught, it needed in order to have income. After that, they need
to receive money in order to continue growing. Artists are an underserved audience in
business development. (Henderson, 2015) Vallorie Henderson is a management consultant, as
well as an artist. She helps other artist with building blocks on business in order for them to have
their own business. What is said in this article is that many artists get their degree but have no
clue as to how to set up their own place. Many have taken notice and are considering putting
business courses as part of an artist curriculum. For them, it is hard to strive up in the art world,
even if they have lots of talent. A survey taken showed that, artists owning their place rely on
their art work for their income that can reach to $5000 or less within a year.(Henderson, 2015)
The art world is a hard path as many soon find out. This is placed in the minds but taken
from the book, Art Entrepreneurship by Mikael Scherdin and Ivo Zander says Only rarely has
there been interest in the entrepreneurial aspects of artistic work, perhaps because many artist
remain fundamentally suspicious of anything that has to do with commerce and business.
(Scherdin and Zander, 2011,pg.1) This a key factor on the survival of art.
Once artist settle down, they need to continue on with their business. For this monthly
fees, membership, ticket sales and more are made at high prices to keep their organizations a
float. Those who suffer a bit more are non-profit organizations since they rely on the donations
without financial benefits for the shareholder or trustee. Boston shares a similar problem when it
comes to funds. Even though Boston is a large city that has art application, in remains low when
it comes to the funds that art receives.

While the city is near the top in terms of median individual giving, corporate funding for
the arts in Boston is among the lowest levels per capita. Boston also has relatively few
foundations that fund the arts, and they often favor larger institutions. (Gay, 2016)
Considering the fact that Boston has many people living in the city, many dont take
much interest in supporting the arts in their area. This shows why art struggles to continue when
funds dont support them.
2. What kind of places has the major impact in art (where they support art, or in other
words, art Appreciation)?
What makes a place perfect for emerging artist has to do with many factors. In a
website/blog called Best Cities to Live as a Struggling Artist on Lone Wolf, provided many
places where artist can have an opportunity to grow big. But for this many sacrifice has to be
made as it will be clover after the rankings. The following are the ratings (Borecka, 2014):
At number 8 we have London: This city embraces innovation, talent and of course
anything fresh. Any artist whos art is good well get the respect they deserve in a place like
London.
Next, New York: The city is now being viewed as tourist attraction rather than a place to
live in. Its fundamental platform is on the thought of the American Dream.(Borecka, 2014) It
is advice however that it is better to live in New Jersey and just take the subway to get to
Manhattan.

Ranking number 6 is Melbourne: This place is in Australia where many known designers
and photography sceneries are in with a creative atmosphere. It is a place with many hipsters
and fashonistas.(Borecka, 2014)
Next is Los Angeles: The birthplace of Movie Magic. This place has over 56 creative
establishments for every 100,000 people.(Borecka, 2014) In a place like this, to know someone
who is in the artistic industry will sure to get you a place in California.
Paris France is up next: This place not only has the fashionable and creative environment
but also is rich in architectural work, history and people watching which is a great inspiration for
any artists.
Next in number 3 is Montreal: Many known bands, magazines and designers come from
this place in Canada. Here, culture and creativity is here in this city that is fit for the active street
life.
Next Barcelona: This city is lively and youthful with many street activities. Its filled with
parties, music, food, fashion and street art.
Finally the number 1 is Berlin, Germany: Design, art, photography and business strives in
the place. It has a great creative environment that is strongly supported.
To support this, a video was taken about Berlin. These artists originally came from Spain
but where they live, they did not have the same opportunities to expand their artistic abilities.
The down fall was they wish they could have stayed in their homeland. In the video, Can Art
Survive the Crisis? Dancer Juan Tirado gives his statement, translated into English. In my
opinion, we have to go back. We are here to learn. But we have to manage to take what weve

learnt back with us.(Chernizon, 2015) He also says that in Spain, it does have a creative culture
but lacks support from society, which also happens in many other places. Places like San
Francisco, Toronto, Tokyo, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore have that inspiration artist have, but
they wont get far in their work.
With the evidence taken, places that will strive as well as people who will survive in the
art world will have factors like lively community and support, culture, history and population. In
the sense of an Art Crisis, it happens within the same community that wont help back in the
arts.
3. What are the benefits on a person exposed to Art?
A big controversial debate going around is mostly related to the arts in public schools.
Many believe that art should be taken out of the school curriculum, saying that art takes away a
childs ability to perform well in their academic classes. There are many who beg to differ. An
interview was taken at Franklin High school, El Paso. Texas is known to have the highest test
scores and they push their students to get really high scores in their classes and tests. Stefan
Schyga, was asked: How do you feel that your teaching methods, in the arts, contribute to good
academic grades? The following was his reply:
Most students lack the knowledge of studying on their own. Learning a musical
instrument will help them with this problem. I cannot teach a student how to play guitar, but I
can teach them how they can teach themselves. In addition this also helps the student with self
discipline, organizational skills and time management. Assessments are mostly multiple choice
tests these days that really cannot assess a students knowledge accurately. If a student can learn

how to read music, how to perform a piece etc etc he or she really demonstrates the knowledge
of the subject matter.(S, Schyga, personal communication, 2016)
This graph shows the results of students exposed to arts vs. those who arent.
Arts Facts SAT Scores and the Arts
Students with four years of high school arts
and music classes have higher SAT scores
than students with one-half year or less.

The benefits of
students exposed
to art are shown
clearly on this
graph. The
website where the
graph was taken
comes from the American for the Arts that have updated articles and information on the Art
field as well as art with Business, Economy, Education, Healing, Marketing and Policy.
Besides students in school taking art, many have called to a conclusion than art have
other benefits. In an article called The Mental Health Benefits of Art Are for Everyone it gives
info as well as a video on how art is like Medicine. The first pointer is that art is a stress reliever.
When hobbies like painting drawing or photography is done, it is consider relaxing and
rewarding causing the stress level to go down according to Deane Alban. (The Mental Health
Benefits of Art Are for Everyone, n.d)

Art also creates critical thinking as well as solving problem skills. Unlike math, there is
no one correct answer in art. (Alban, n.d) The encouragement of art helps with the cells in your
brain so they can keep exercising and stimulating the neurons. When art is done, both halves of
the brain are in use creating cell connection.
As stated previously about students doing art and helping with grades, art helps create
self esteem and accomplishment. Another interview from the same school in El Paso provided
more evidence of a child exposed to art as well as how it helps a student with motivation when
doing well in academic courses. Vanessa Eveler gives her statement:
I think my teaching methods in the dance class environment contribute to good academic
grades in a few ways. The first way that comes to mind is the fact that students need to be
eligible in order to perform. For some students, this is the only thing that motivates them to do
homework & projects for classes because they love to be on stage dancing. Some students don't
have anyone at home who cares about how well they do in school so when I talk with them about
their grades and show concern about what's happening with the classes in which they're
struggling, I may be the only person who takes the time to talk with them about it. Sometimes
that's the only motivation they need because now they have someone who cares & they want to
make that person, me in this case, proud. In the arts, we cover math, English/writing, history, and
science/physics so students in our classes are getting extra reminders about what they learn in
their core classes while in an environment that they may find more fun & creative. They tend to
remember it better when the information, skills, or knowledge comes with an activity or a
method in which a new section of the brain is stimulated at the same time. (V,Eveler, personal
communication, 2016)

With this taken into consideration, it is these benefits that are being stripped away from
schools and communities and other organizations that prevent a person to achieve.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the arts have been around forever, but what is being done in respect to the
benefits and the dreams many artist have is hardly any. It is shown that money is needed and
many dont have the knowledge of how to run places financially in order to grow or the support
of their own community to strive making them move away from love ones and all they know.
To be honest, I think an artist is born out of crisis; in the sense of personal crisis, economic
crisis, etc. says artist Sonia Camacho.( Chernizon, 2015) Her quote reaches out and for many, it
is true in the sense that art is continuing but obstacles will be in the way. The art needs to be
recognized and respect, weather the artist dead or alive and they all deserve the support they
deserve to strive.
Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life. Pablo Picasso( as cited by Alban, n.d)

Citation
Alban, D. (n.d.). The Mental Health Benefits of Art Are for Everyone. Retrieved March 31, 2016,
from http://bebrainfit.com/the-health-benefits-of-art-are-for-everyone/
Borecka, N. (2014, January 17). Best Cities to Live as a Struggling Artist - Lone Wolf. Retrieved
March 31, 2016, from https://blog.lonewolfmag.com/cities-for-struggling-artists/
Chernizon, K. (2015, February 13). Can art survive the crisis? Retrieved March 31, 2016, from
https://vimeo.com/124851503

Gay, M. (2016, January 21). Boston trails other cities in arts funding. Retrieved March 13, 2016,
from https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2016/01/20/vibrant-boston-arts-scene-getsrelatively-little-institutional-funding-reportfinds/cZ6f5j4XBCA23O50yD7SUJ/story.html
N. (n.d.). Americans for the Arts. Retrieved March 31, 2016, from
http://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/advancing-arts-locally
Phaneuf, T. (2015, February 28). Artists lack resources for business. Retrieved March 31, 2016,
from http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/artists-lack-resources-forbusiness/article_e2b4791b-6888-5e27-b542-a093bb605426.html
Zander, I., & Scherdin, M. (2011). Art entrepreneurship. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.