The Future of Art-Making
I once dreamed of a life within academia—a vibrant contemporary arts department where my role would be to enlighten visual art and performance students, inspiring them to become citizen activators, community art facilitators, and socially engaged artists. My vision was not confined to the traditional classroom; I imagined an interdisciplinary space where the tools of the artist would reach out beyond campus walls, sparking change at both personal and community levels. I saw art as the heartbeat of society, a dynamic force capable of liberating knowledge and connecting people in ways that transcend institutional boundaries.
Over time, however, I have come to see that academia along with the field of contemporary art, in its current form, operates on an ethos of exclusivity. The sanctuaries of learning and artistic endeavor have become more about gatekeeping than about genuine engagement with the world beyond their ivory towers, white and black boxes. The narrow parameters of “serious art” have left little room for expressions rooted in lived experience—like folk dance or spontaneous community art-making that emerges in the wake of natural disasters. Such art, which embodies the resilience and spirit of a community, is too often dismissed by those who should be its most ardent champions. This disheartening dismissal has shown me that the academic system is ill-equipped to embrace art’s true purpose: to serve as the connective tissue of society.
My disillusionment with academia’s failure to relate to community has compelled me to change course. I now choose to immerse myself directly in the communities I serve. By embracing a path defined by art, activism, and education, I will work alongside community members to co-create art that speaks to our collective experiences, challenges injustices, and celebrates the everyday beauty of human connection. In this new direction, I see art not as an isolated academic pursuit, but as a living, breathing practice that thrives in the public square, nurtures dialogue, and cultivates transformation.
Looking to the future, I envision a world where the old structures of academia and the contemporary art scene crumble, replaced by a more inclusive, democratic culture of art-making. Imagine a society in which every neighbourhood becomes a gallery and every public space an arena for creative expression—a world where art is the pulse of community life, where knowledge is shared freely, and where cultural expression is recognized as both a personal balm and a tool for social change. In this future, art would not be the exclusive domain of the elite; it would be the common language of resilience and hope. This is the promise of my new path, and it is the future I now choose to help create.
