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On The Table Read, “the best creativity magazine in the UK“, discover how creatives are making changes to have a positive impact on the world and the environment.
Creatives from all backgrounds have always had a significant impact on the direction of the world. A BBC profile of some of the most impactful art that’s ever been created highlights just how that has worked, from the upright-facing-sticks that Ivan Kafka used to signify the difficulties of life behind the Iron Curtain through to famous acts of obstruction in art shows.
With the all-pervasive nature of the internet, and how that promotes a sort of monoculture, creatives have had to find new ways to surprise and shock; however, one area where creatives can have a huge impact is through charity.
Tackling Fast Fashion
Few areas of creative work quite capture the urgency of the industry like fashion. Fashion, a creative pursuit, also straddles two of the most pressing issues in the world today – work and income inequality, and climate change. There are great opportunities for fashion creatives to make an impact even when learning.
Ethically sourcing clothing materials, working with companies with good track records in ethics, and recycling as much as possible are all measures that can be taken. The long-term goal of tackling the endemic nature of these problems is also possible, according to the University for the Creative Arts. One key factor will come in designing out waste; creating clothes that are net-zero, and don’t have any ‘exhaust’. Creatives thinking like this, and making these innovations commonplace, will have a big impact on the perception of companies.
Art Into Reality
Creatives working in physical art also have an important part to play in affecting widespread societal and economic change. The Arts Council has provided a summary of the changes they have made to curtail their impact on the environment, and it bears thinking about exactly how artists can help to contribute in a wider sense.
Through installations such as Bournemouth Arts by the Sea, meaningful public art is being created that also tells a very important tale. By acting as an exemplar for climate action, and then providing inspiration for people outside of the creative sphere to hook on to, art can be a very powerful motivator.
Can music create change?
When it comes to music, the impact of perhaps the most popular art form in the world is a little more controversial on the whole. While music fans tend to care about the climate, previous big-ticket music events have failed to deliver on their lofty goals.
Perhaps the most notable of these, the Live Aid institution, has been subject to long-standing financial analysis showing that it simply didn’t get money to the right places. This is the big challenge for music, especially on the big-stage scale. The minute that musical artists have a big platform, it takes on an entire new dimension; creatives must be aware of that when they engage with charity themselves.
Art Can Create Change
Art can be transformative. It engages with the emotions and can create change in a way that is hard to argue through cold politics. Accordingly, creatives have a key role to play in creating real, long-term change.
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