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Yet imagine a world where artists are not disposable, where their work, labor, and vision are sustained, respected, and integrated into society over the long term. Such a future would transform not only creative practice but the cultural and emotional fabric of our communities.
Consider Tarek, a muralist in Cairo. For years, he moved from commission to commission, each project short-lived, each contract temporary. He poured months into murals that were washed away, painted over, or ignored. The cycle was exhausting: creation followed by erasure, acknowledgment followed by disappearance.
Tarek often wondered if the labor itself was worth the fleeting attention. In a future where artists are not disposable, Tarek’s murals would be preserved, maintained, and celebrated as part of the city’s cultural memory. His work would be recognized as a lasting contribution to public life, rather than a disposable product of temporary demand.
In this future, artists would be treated as essential collaborators in society rather than peripheral entertainers. Lin, a composer in Taipei, experiences a kind of creative disposability even within institutions. Orchestras frequently commission pieces, perform them once or twice, and then archive the score without follow-up engagement. Musicians and audiences alike forget the contribution, and the composer is left in a cycle of constant production with minimal long-term impact.
In a system that values sustainability, Lin’s compositions would be nurtured: performances would be repeated, recordings widely circulated, educational programs developed, and communities invited into the work. Her labor would matter continuously, not episodically.
This future also entails economic sustainability. Creative work is often precarious, forcing artists to balance their labor with unrelated jobs or commercial compromise. Adebayo, a writer in Lagos, spends half of his week on freelance translation projects simply to fund his novels. The economic system treats his artistic vision as secondary to survival. In a society where artists are not disposable, compensation, benefits, and infrastructure would recognize creative labor as essential work, comparable to teaching, medicine, or public service. Artists would be empowered to focus on their practice without sacrificing financial stability or integrity.
Equally important is recognition of the emotional labor inherent in creativity. Artists do not merely produce objects—they process emotion, reflect culture, and interpret collective experience. Sahana, a choreographer in Mumbai, invests enormous psychological and physical energy into her performances, drawing on personal vulnerability to evoke empathy and insight in audiences. Yet when funding lapses or audiences shift, her labor is treated as disposable spectacle. A future where artists are not disposable would honor the emotional, cognitive, and spiritual labor that sustains culture, providing support, mentorship, and care that preserves well-being alongside productivity.
The future also includes intergenerational continuity. Today, many
artists’ contributions vanish into obscurity, leaving gaps in cultural memory and practice. Imagine Sofia, a ceramicist in Porto, whose techniques build on ancestral methods. In a society that values artists’ enduring contributions, Sofia’s knowledge would be documented, shared, and celebrated—not merely in fleeting exhibitions but through mentorship, residencies, and archival projects. Young artists would inherit the tools, insight, and perspective that older generations cultivate, ensuring that creativity is cumulative rather than disposable.
A world where artists are not disposable transforms not only the creators but also the audiences and the culture itself. Art becomes a sustained dialogue rather than a series of ephemeral moments. Communities recognize the value of investment, care, and patience in creative life. When artists are allowed the time, space, and support to develop fully, society gains depth, continuity, and collective imagination. Cultural life becomes a garden tended carefully, rather than a series of pop-up installations designed for immediate consumption.
Crucially, this vision challenges the metrics of success. In disposable systems, impact is measured in number of views, sales, or awards. In a sustainable system, success is measured by the endurance, influence, and integration of artistic labor over time. Tarek’s murals would shape neighborhoods, Lin’s compositions would enrich curricula, Adebayo’s novels would enter the public conversation, and Sofia’s techniques would ensure cultural continuity. The value of creation is understood as cumulative, relational, and essential—not momentary or interchangeable.
Ultimately, imagining a future where artists are not disposable is an act of ethical foresight. It acknowledges that culture is not produced by machines or algorithms but by human labor, insight, and courage. Tarek, Lin, Adebayo, Sahana, and Sofia represent countless artists whose work, if preserved and respected, has the power to shape societies, challenge norms, and nurture imagination. Treating them as disposable erodes culture; sustaining them enriches it.
In this future, art is no longer a commodity to be consumed and discarded; it is a vital part of human life, tended with care, continuity, and respect. Artists are not replaceable—they are essential. And when we finally build systems, attitudes, and infrastructures that reflect this reality, the creative world will flourish in ways both tangible and intangible: a society in which imagination, labor, and meaning are preserved, celebrated, and interwoven into the ongoing story of humanity.
Eric Maisel, President
International Association of Creative and Performing Artists
Our fundamental belief is that creativity knows no bounds. While we enthusiastically embrace performers like musicians, actors, and dancers, we are equally dedicated to all writers, visual artists, and every creative spirit. Our community extends to anyone who imagines and creates in any domain, from architecture to physics, and from education to business.
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