Taylor-Leigh
Buying your friends’ merchandise is great, but what else can you do to show your friends you care about them & their work?
“Support your artist friends!” I remember when this quote started circulating through social media. I had friends that would post a photo of a sticker or a demo showing with pride that they support their artist friends. I also have family members that show off a t-shirt with a photo of a drawing, or share about how often they attend their co-worker’s son’s jazz concert. It’s great that we are all proud of our friends who are musicians, painters, designers, performers, and sculptors, but as a dancer who is often left out of the “artist” groups, I am here to share with you more meaningful ways to support your artist friends that really show you care.
Suggested reading: check out this post on how to appreciate art objectively.
- Ask questions about their art.
Instead of just reposting something on social media (or in addition to), if you see your friend is working on a piece or has an event coming up, strike up a conversation about it. Talk over the phone, or see if you can meet up before or after their event to talk. Ask questions before sharing your point of view (unless they ask first). What is their inspiration for the piece? What does it mean to them? Ask them about their process, or about being an artist in general.
2. Describe what you notice.
If your artist friend asks you what you think of their work, or if you feel comfortable sharing, describe what you notice. This is an objective way to state the facts, rather than opinions, and can often open the door to more insights. You may end up giving them a different perspective they hadn’t thought of before. This also gives more to comment on rather than the basic, “I loved it,” “great job,” “beautiful,” or “interesting.”
3. Go to their shows.
or exhibitions, or galleries, or performances. A repost or watching a video on social media is not the same. If your friend tells you about an event, prioritize getting there. It will mean a lot to them, trust me.
4. Give the gift of time and interest.
This is basically what the first three points are saying. A conversation, your presence, and your engagement will go much farther than a sticker you paid $5 for that you know nothing about because you didn’t take the time to ask your artist friend about it.
5. Remember that your opinion doesn’t matter.
The value of a piece of art is not dependent on whether or not you like it. If you have an opinion to share, ask first if the artist wants to hear it. But this goes along with appreciating art objectively, which you can learn more about here.
By all means keep supporting your artist friends and family monetarily, if you have the means and the opportunity. But don’t forget that there’s a human behind the art, and often times their work is deeply connected to their inner self. So by connecting with your friend’s art more personally, you are connecting with a part of their soul. That is something money can never buy.
I am Taylor-Leigh, an artist with a BFA in Dance & Choreography speaking from personal experience. (Bottom photo is by Steven Cassanova)