Hey RoshamFAM! A lot of people have been writing in and asking us how artists are keeping their heads above water during these strange and unprecedented times. We've gotten a chance to talk to a few of our artists friends over the past few weeks so here's our collective opinion.
Art-Is-Love-Is-Art
Erich Fromm was an amazing Jewish-German psychologist who escaped Nazi Germany. His words about love, art and freedom still inspire us today. He helped us understand that love and art are really not that different. They’re both choices we make. They’re both giving of the self for someone else’s benefit. Perhaps most importantly if you sell either of them it makes you a… well, we won’t say it out loud, lol.
As artists, it’s often a personal struggle to ask for or charge money for what we do. We didn’t get into this because we wanted to be rich or famous. We got into this because we genuinely think it’s our small way of making the world a better place. We like seeing people be happy and kind to one another. We like showing people it’s ok to be angry when it makes us do the right thing. We like talking about love in all it’s forms; It’s why we’re all here. We like singing about pain because we think it’s the best way to find healing. We didn’t want these things to be just a small part of our lives. We wanted them to define us. So, we dropped everything else, even our “Day jobs.”
We know not every artist feels this way. We actually wrote a song about it called Ms Dichotomy. You can listen to it on Spotify right now for free. Just click the Spotify image below. Don't forget to like & follow!
4 Ways To Help Creators That Make Free Content
1. Just Enjoy It.
The simplest way to support content creators is to absorb their content. Watching their videos, streaming their music and sharing their content with your friends on social media goes a really long way. By absorbing their content, even though it's not directly supporting them, offers encouragement and exposure to new people, especially when you share it.
Play Roshambeaux's Free Unplugged Livestream Concert from FRI 6/12/20
2. Tell Your Friends.
You're the big break your favorite artist needs. Sure, a nice feature spot on the right platform might offer a decent amount of exposure in the moment but it pales in comparison to what you can do for them. Personally, when we look at our favorite artists, they're not our favorites because we saw them on tv. They're our favorites because we link them to a memory of our friends sharing them with us. They became a part of our relationships. If you want to help an artist, you don't have to help them come up with some scheme to have millions of people see them all at once (although, it's a nice thought). All you have to do is tell a few friends that you think might enjoy them as well. As artists, it means the world to us! We got tagged in this and it made our day!
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Social Media (especially, Facebook) makes it easy to tell you friends about something you enjoy and invite others to enjoy it as well. Here's how you can do it (and yes, we're selfishly using our page as an example). This will do way more for your favorite content creator than any other promise of "exposure," because it's coming from you.
3. Give on Patreon
With more and more live event centers announcing delays on reopening and facing second waves of shutdowns due to new Covid 19 cases, a lot of artists who relied on live performance as a steady means of income are having to shift to online content creation to stay afloat. When you're starting out, it's a little daunting (we speak from experience). You have to create free content for your audience, especially if you are trying to grow a new one online. It makes sense. You wouldn't buy something from a guy you just met if you didn't have the slightest idea of what it is you're buying. That's why so many Youtube shows, Spotify podcasts and online concert streams are free to stream and stay that way.
So, if you want to support an artist that makes free content, a very simple way is to donate to them on a platform like Patreon, even if it's just $1 a month. There are a tons of content creators on there from famous astro physicists like Neil Degrasse Tyson to single moms that make folk art. Most content creators offer unique rewards for being a monthly supporter. By doing so you become a part of their creation process and allow them to continue to create. Here's what we offer our supporters.
4. Buy Their Art
It's kind of the obvious one on our list but we often forget it. Not only does it directly support the artist when you make a purchase, you're also doing everything else on this list as well. Every time you wear one of their tee shirts, listen to their song or podcast with a friend or take a sexy Instagram photo with their visual piece in the background you're letting everyone you meet know the artist is worth supporting. It makes a big difference and keeps art alive.
Wanna Hang Out?
We go live with Van Philosophy- Live Vlogcast every Wednesday night on Facebook @ 8pm/est. Tune in tonight, sit back, ask questions, shoot the sh*t, and let us know what you're up too! When you do, make sure you leave a comment. We really like that!
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Special Thanks To Our Very First Patreon Supporters!
Nancy B, Renee T & Steve B
We truly couldn't do this without you!
All Photos By Roshambeaux
Additional Photo Credits include:
Philosophy of Enrich Fromm- Highbrow