I have a dream

One of my many visions of grandeur is to create a studio where multiple creative streams (dance, writing, music, theatre, art) can find expression and become a centre for the creative growth of others, in community. I picture the studio itself as part of a larger entity, a guild of intersticial arts.

I love the medieval and romantic connotations of the term “Guild”, and even more, the practicality of it. Guilds housed, clothed, fed and trained their apprentices, provided connections in their field for those who completed training, and exacted a tax on the profits earned by their graduates to support the guild’s continuation. Pensions alloted to guild members would see them cared for in old age. In a world where ‘starving artist’ is a redundant phrase, I can see so many benefits to this kind of system, particularly escaping the crippling effects of student debt as people pay enormous tuition to learn artistic skills that are often not financially lucrative.

I see this as needing to be a private enterprise, with significant capital to initiate it and a small group of people to start with. I wouldn’t start with students, I would start with people of significant talent and ability already. I imagine training and performances within the Guild house in the winter, and summer tours to go on the road and generate publicity and revenues, perhaps generate interest from professionals to come and teach workshops to our developing artists.

The practical end of feeding and caring for the people ties into another area of fascination for me: self-sufficient living. By nature, the Guild House would need to be in a city setting for performance purposes, but perhaps the guild also owned a great farm in the surrounding country and employed people to work it, or exacted a certain amount of work hours from apprentices or some combination thereof. There could also be a small hall and dormitory for artists wishing to work closer to nature.

It’s all a very grand scheme and would require a lot of people to make it work.

I would start with a studio, for me to develop my own talents and encourage the growth of others. Vacationing in Sandpoint, Idaho and indeed nearly everywhere you go these days, there are huge beautiful buildings standing empty and unused. Schools in particular catch my eye as they naturally lend themselves to my ideas. Renovation and likely upgrading would be necessary, as well as alternative power products. So many details. I would love to have a willing and able team, and the other necessary resources to direct this kind of enterprise.

Any artists out there, what thoughts and suggestions do you have?