Support Artists Financially - A Call to Action
An essay advocating for financial support of creative professionals in an era of entitlement and AI-generated content.
This is not a traditional artist opportunity or competition, but rather a manifesto and call to action by John Pavlovitz, a freelance illustrator, art director, musician, and published author with 40 years of creative experience. The piece addresses the systemic devaluation of artists and their work in contemporary society.
Pavlovitz argues that the erosion of appreciation for creative professionals has resulted in unsustainable living conditions for artists across all disciplines—visual artists, musicians, writers, photographers, journalists, filmmakers, and performers. He identifies three key challenges: (1) digital culture has conditioned consumers to expect free or nearly-free content, creating an entitlement mentality; (2) AI-generated content now replaces human creativity while providing no compensation to the artists whose work trained these systems; (3) creative professionals are systematically marginalized and forced to become full-time promoters of their own work rather than focusing on their craft.
The essay calls for a paradigm shift in how society values and supports creative professionals. Pavlovitz emphasizes that artists invest years developing skills, spend fortunes on materials and training, and sacrifice time and relationships for their work—yet receive no guaranteed income, health insurance, pensions, or paid time off like other professionals.
This is framed as an invitation to become patrons of the arts through concrete actions: purchasing work directly from creators' websites rather than using streaming services and aggregate sites; gifting artwork to friends and family; subscribing to artists' newsletters; downloading music directly; and using social media to advocate for creative professionals.
Pavlovitz argues that artists are essential to society, tethering us to one another, spurring courage, uncovering dreams, and helping us feel seen and known. In times of social division and uncertainty, creative professionals provide vital emotional and spiritual nourishment that AI can never replicate.