LASTING IMPRESSSIONS: "There Is NO Money In The Arts"

Lasting Impressions with Sian Lindemann

The Art of “The Dance” ~
OR… HOW To Network In The Dance World ~

If you are an artist, I can be assured that you have heard this statement once or twice in your professional career, “There is NO money in the arts”…and I assume, that you have believed it. I am a participant in the promotion of the arts, that for over 30 years, I have heard this statement more often than I care to admit, AND I’ve heard more excuses justifying failure in the arts, being attributed to this statement, as well.

WHO TOLD YOU THIS ???

I’m on a mission, like no other, for the second, third, fourth, fifth … Well actually, I’ve lost track of the number of times that I have made money in the arts and creative industries…with business, projects, activities, and I dare say, shameless “self promotion” in the arts world.

An FYI for all artists ~ IF you don’t TOOT your own horn, I’m terribly sorry to inform you that there will be no one lining up to do so for you…until you master this task…Shameless “self – promotion.”

Stepping Down From My Soap Box

First of all, I want to apologize, for my anger, angst and frustration with artists AND with business people who lack basic creativity in the launch and activities of their companies. I would actually tell you to re-evaluate your business aspirations. Even my mother, an entrepreneur all of her life, admitted on her death bed, that she never really enjoyed DRIVING the business….she more preferred being support to an impassioned driver…

IS THIS YOU?

NEXT ~ If you are certain that you wish to find fame, fortune, glory and recognition in your particular field, then I am going to shout from the mountain top, so that you can hear me… WAKE UP !!!

You may think me unkind, uncaring, and ill equipped to share this fact with you ~ ITS YOUR FAULT…that you are not successful ~

OK…I’m finished… and I am laughing OUT LOUD…

The winds of change are upon us ~ (We’re having one of those famous “desert storms” as I am writing this article…The wind is blowing up dust and it is WILD, outside.)

So perhaps the wind and its effect have impassioned my writing today…and I’m going to share a story with you that is both poignant and powerful…and is about one little girl, named Chandra Krown, with whom I had the pleasure to work, now many years ago.

Chandra is a dancer.

I met Chandra in Vancouver, BC on one of my many “adventures,” having just moved to Vancouver, and having immersed myself into the creative community in that city, several things occurred for me there.

1) I loved Vancouver and wanted to find a way to stay
2) I loved Vancouver and decided I would stay
3) I love artists, as you already know, and happened upon Chandra and a group of other local artists, each actively pursuing a variety of careers, in music, in art, in dance, in drumming, and lastly, my favorite, in “design.”

I had the pleasure, also, of hiring the quirkiest “personal coach” who proceeded to illuminate for me ~ that “EVERTHING” is possible. One need only say YES and to “TAKE ACTION” ~ which I then did, on my own behalf “as the artist.”

But… meeting Chandra was a challenge I was willing to consider. First of all she is an extremely talented dancer, who for the moment, had a plethora of bad behaviors that were rather self defeating. I won’t go into detail about the nature of her “habits” as she has requested that I not share them with the public. However, it was clear that she must overcome these issues were she to succeed in her particular industry ~ DANCE…

So what I did do, is move in with her, and position myself to be available to her to assist her to overcome these issues….which I did.

Needless to say ~ it took a little time, some money, some devotion on my part to see her through to the other side. What did occur. When she was ready, I accompanied her to her first professional audition. The rest is history ~

She blew the ROOF off the room, and has subsequently gone on to become an internationally known dancer, aerialist, gymnast and many, many other talents.

AND she was able to remove herself from what is like our US Welfare system of Canadian Social Services…and become self-sufficient.

Last I witnessed, she was aerial dancing off the side of a high rise building in downtown Vancouver, BC, and has subsequently moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she continues to exhibit her aerial ballets.

The point of the story is that “There IS money in the Arts” ~ How successful you become is a choice ~ YOUR choice….Remember, a group of Canadian based street performers who subsequently created and have become “Cirque de Soleil” all started in the same venue ~ Performing on the street.

I would then have to inquire ~ “ Do you think Cirque de Soleil is a financially viable entity ?” ~ With temporary and permanent shows now performing all over the world, we agree that YES is the only answer. The difference is HOW much more success has “Cirque” had over Chandra Krown and her troupe. It’s only a matter of commitment and personal aspirations….much like that which I described about my Mother. My Mom, always kept her businesses succeeding at a certain level and income, for perhaps, her whole life she did not know how to be a great support person, versus the need to be an independent “driver” of her companies.

This is the key factor ~ Can you work well with others? Can you listen to others and let go of control? Can you admit that others might have a better plan for you than you can have for yourself ? These are questions I ask myself on a daily basis.

And although I continue to “assist” other artists with advice and directional aid, at this time, I too, am taking the reins back on my own creative career…

…AND, it is all about Dance ~ I don’t have to be a great dancer to succeed. I DO have to be a great coordinator and director of the project…and at this time I am participating in the latter. Yes, I will continue to study dance, but I’m sure that few wish to see a middle –aged woman, who is obviously rusty and a little unfit ~ ( due to my current and massive immersion into social media and having been “sitting” in front of the computer for 2 years) dancing around on stage, unless of course I am going to play the character of the clown…

It is essential, however, to hold firm to the fact that “Cirque” is the business model that I aspire to… I need only cultivate and attract the best performance artists for my upcoming project…aptly titled “INCREIBLE”

Increible "Trailer" ~








So in light of the fact that we wish for the highest and best success with this project, I have to plan it out, which has been done, and will, thus, implement incrementally….and I’m happy to share with you that we are moving forward.

The key piece here is that this project is one that I could not grow easily in the “organic” ways I have launched and grown every other business in which I have been immersed.

This project requires capital ~ that, which has now been committed, after being laughed out of nearly every capital presentation I have given…NOT because it’s a bad idea, but because the external belief is that “THERE IS NO MONEY IN THE ARTS” ~

It’s not true ~ It”s never been true ~And it is only true for those who believe that the statement holds “water.” To those people, I say adieu ~ for their beliefs are letting themselves be “stuck.”

Interesting that an amazing group of people are gathering around this project, “INCREIBLE” which is a “Cirque” – style, World Class Entertainment Event which features The Passions of Flamenco Dance and The Poetry of Peruvian Paso Horses ~ like Cirque de Soleil’s “Cavalia ~ which, by the way, is one of their more successful traveling shows.

So on the flip side ~

I will continue to support the “plight” of artists, for I do understand the challenges that they face ~ However, I am removing myself from consulting with the arts community ~ “Be IT now" is the mantra I am adopting, once again, for over 30 years it has served me well, and will continue to do so.

Cheers to YOUR continued success and most of all, CHEERS to my own ~ for without the “gift” of mastering the ART of Networking, I would never, ever have been able to commit to this project, which is my primary focus and IS my passion.

And it is for which I made the move ~ and placed myself back in Arizona, whereby in this environ reside all the dancers, trainers, horses and people that make “Increible” a reality….and PS…”There IS money in the arts” ~ If you never give up, never stop asking for help, never stop sharing that which is your passion, there is light at the end of the tunnel. For here I am…Welcome !


Stay Tuned
Sincere Regards
Sian Lindemann
November 2009 ~
www.siandesign.com

For more information, please visit Sian's TNNW Bio.


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LASTING IMPRESSSIONS: "There Is NO Money In The Arts"