Changes; adjusting and recognizing that normal is change
She pulled up in her U-haul to make one of her many last minute drop offs before pulling out of town. A quick hug, a wave goodbye and she pulled away from the curb; there she goes. My friend, my family is moving across the country to another state. She can’t live here anymore and neither can her husband so they have sold their house and purchased something larger and cheaper over 10 states away from here.
As an artist on the road, finding our market is a tricky proposition. What do we do when our market is moving? My friend isn’t the only one who is relocating from one place to another. Our country has been facing a lot of changes in hiring practices as companies have been pivoting for tax breaks and chasing marketing strategies of their own. Family reunion brought a story of a relative who had just picked up a new job in Arizona while his wife stayed in Washington to finish her degree. Here I am packing the truck for a show this weekend wondering how things are going to go.
We as artists need to network, through social media, through internet searches, contact other artists and talk about what is working; not about what is a failure. Networking isn’t just about shows, it is also about helping each other on the road. I offer accommodations to artists I know if they want to do shows where I live and I have friends that do the same. Supporting each other right now and going forward will help us all in the long run. We also need to keep in touch with our buyers and keep them up on our travels and recent developments. With any luck, they might keep you up to date on changes in their life.
We also need to be willing to take chances as well. Try new markets by hedging our bets and looking at the demographics of the areas those shows are in. Doing a show in a blue collar neighborhood with the only draw being a walmart, may not be the best idea. One around a good community college in a tourist area, that might be a good bet.
We must remember, change is normal and growth brings change. We want growth because growth means people are happy and are excited to do new things. Let’s take a deep breath and think positive thoughts about the future. Maybe, I’ll see you in a new town near you soon.