Can Art Really Pay the Bills?

Every now and then comes a phrase as questioning and perturbing as ‘Can art really pay the bills?’, leaving the artists, their passion, and the credibility of their endeavours in a questioning stance of societal norms and expectations. Coming from different walks of life, their response to such queries sprinkles the willpowder of self-belief and embracing uniqueness beyond narratives of societal skepticism.

The Fear of Uncertainty and Cultural Norms

“Every time I tell someone I’m working towards an art degree, it’s always the same thing: ‘So what are you really going to do with that?'”, voiced Breanna Nolan, a senior art major from Brandon, Mississippi. The stigma attached to careers within arts weakens the confidence of several creators, encouraging them to prioritize profit-driven professions over their true passions. The stereotype of the “starving artist” casts a looming shadow over their ambitions, insinuating a successful career in art as an unattainable dream.

However, Breanna Bercegeay, a Master of Fine Arts student and sculpture teacher at the University of Mississippi, shares her contrasting views and experiences. “I started as an education major, as I was told that making money as an artist is not possible,” she said. Unhappy in her former major, she made a significant decision to change her career path in her junior year, choosing passion over societal norms and fears.

Squashing Stereotypes with Success Stories

Amy Webb, head of the Oxford non-profit IRIS Arts Community, affirmed Bercegeay’s argument by narrating her journey from a business degree to following her passion for art after the pandemic. Webb expressed, “I was entrenched in the idea that there’s no real option for me unless I just wanted to be like the starving artist trope. I was miserable with the thought of doing anything else.”

Webb’s story reflects the idea that success is as subjective as art itself. For many, the fulfilment drawn from creating what they love surpasses the monetary rewards of other professions.

Webb will be showcasing her art at the Casey Jones Blues Fest and at the Double Decker Arts Festival, taking steps towards financial success while doing what she loves.

Trusting the Process

Full-time artist and University of Mississippi alumnus, Jonathan Kent Adams, echoed Webb’s sentiments. He remarked, “Art gave me a way to express myself without using words. I didn’t always have the right words to say. So, art kind of gave me a vehicle to express myself.”

Adams switched from criminal justice to art during college. He did not mull over monetary or post-college uncertainties, trusting himself and his passions to lead him. “It was like, I started trusting myself as life unfolded”, he said.

Adams now exhibits his work regularly at Oxford’s Southside Gallery and has a show scheduled in Provincetown, Massachusetts, providing ample proof that a career in art can be both fulfilling and sustainable.

Pushing Boundaries and Embracing Courage

The societal stigma surrounding careers in art is undeniably real. However, these artists’ stories provide ample evidence that, with talent, passion, and determination, art can indeed pay the bills. They left a resounding message for anyone fearful of embracing their artistic tendencies:

“Fear will control you. So no matter what you’re doing in life, you have to find a way to not listen to the fear in your head, but to step forward and fight”, said Adams.

Embracing art as a career might not be the traditional way, but the diversity of the arts sector offers countless avenues for creators to explore, curating an enriching journey of self-discovery, courage, and resilience for the passionate artists determined to pave their way.