Growing up in a chaotic, dysfunctional family, I quickly became “the” entertainer. By the time I was four years old, I had co-written my first song with my best buddy/next-door neighbor kid. From there, we performed plays, concerts and built haunted houses in the fall, where we would charge admission.
Later, we moved to a new city and into townhouses called Canterbury Mews Coop. This is where I started my writing career; I published a paper called Canterbury News and delivered it to my neighbors for $0.25 per copy. It included all the latest news on kids’ happenings and a comics section, where I showcased my comedic talents and discovered I am not so great at drawing cartoons and caricatures.
I continued to hone my skills as a writer and wrote music and lyrics in middle school and received some great feedback. So, I thought it would be fun to learn some instruments, too, as that would help me become more like my idol, Prince, who wrote and played every part of every song he produced. While I did not become a prolific musician like Prince, I joined the concert band and played many instruments as a percussionist, including the xylophone and bells.
Learning percussion set me up for my next move in high school, where I took guitar and piano classes. I continued to write lyrics and even wrote some rhythm parts for guitar. My plan after high school was to pursue a career in art. I had friends out in Long Beach as caricature artists, friends in San Diego serving in the Navy and playing guitar with some garage bands, and family out in San Francisco with vineyards. It was the early nineties, and a whole lot of art was coming out of California and the West Coast.
In a New York Times article, they highlight the artistic influence of Snoop Dog, saying, “Nearly 30 years after emerging as a profane gangster rapper from Long Beach, California, Snoop Dogg has transcended his hip-hop roots and become culturally ubiquitous.
When the Times asked Snoop, ‘How did you overcome that shyness?’ his response was simply this, “Success and practice. The more success you have and practice you have, the more familiar you become with it. Either love it or hate. I love what it do for me and I love what it do for other people when they see me onscreen. It’s a feeling of joy when people understand it and they get it,”
Well, I didn’t end up going to Long Beach as I was guided to get a college degree first and then decide if I still wanted to go. After I earned a degree in marketing and public relations from The University of Michigan, I learned that I really did not have to leave my hometown of Detroit because a lot was happening right here – similar but not on the scale it was in the Motown days. However, I still need not worry about uprooting myself from a good standard of living.
I found that there were many opportunities for me in Detroit to pursue my passion for marketing and public relations. While it may not be the bustling hub of the music industry like Long Beach, I have come to appreciate the revitalization happening in my hometown. I know that I can have a meaningful career right here in Detroit. Below are some of the top cities for artists (and look, Detroit is one of them!):
- New York, Population 8.8 million
- Tucson, Population 540,000
- Baltimore, Population 590,000
- Nashville, Population 720,000
- Portland, Population 68,000
- Philadelphia, Population 1.6 million
- Detroit, Population 640,000
- Sioux Falls, Population 190,000
- Minneapolis, Population 430,000
- Chicago, Population 2.7 million
Is art still a viable career?
Yes, as long as you follow the path best suited for you. As I mentioned, I work in the marketing industry. Currently, I am a writer for SEO (search engine optimization) purposes within a digital marketing firm. While I chose to pursue a sustainable creative career versus being a starving artist in California or New York, I have learned that I am not the only one.
So many of my colleagues who are professionals in the marketing world are also artists. Like me, many are musicians, but there are also painters, sculptors, caricature artists, photographers, and writers. It’s fascinating to see how our creativity extends beyond our day-to-day work in marketing. These artistic pursuits not only serve as a creative outlet but also enhance our skills in the marketing field. Whether it’s crafting compelling campaigns or creating visually stunning designs, our dual talents allow us to approach our work with a unique perspective and creativity.
From Americans for Arts, “Business & Employment in the Arts reports provide a research-based approach to understanding the scope and economic importance of the arts in America. Nationally, 673,656 businesses are involved in the creation or distribution of the arts, and they employ 3.48 million people. This represents 4.01 percent of all U.S. businesses and 2.04 percent of all U.S. employees—demonstrating statistically that the arts are a formidable business presence and broadly distributed across our communities. Arts businesses and the creative people they employ stimulate innovation, strengthen America’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, and play an important role in building and sustaining economic vibrancy,”.
Furthermore, my boss and mentor, who I have worked with for more than nineteen years, hosts a podcast called “Creative Entrepreneur,” where they discuss how you do not have to be a broke artist but instead strive to become a prosperous artist.
Does marketing make a lot of money?
Since I am not a famous rock star or big-time talent agent, I did not make my fortune before I was thirty years old, but what I do have is a fulfilling career that earns a good living. I’m not rich, but I’m not poor. I genuinely love my job, and as I have often said to my children, “Follow your heart, and the money will follow” ― Marsha Sinetar. Or “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life” ― Confucius. So far, that has been my experience.
But if you need to know the numbers, on average, marketing specialists earn a median annual salary of $68,230 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What are the best cities for artists?
In conclusion, art can be a viable career option, with creativity thriving in cities like New York, Detroit, and Nashville, offering diverse opportunities, whether directly or indirectly, in fields such as advertising where the modern artist can be prosperous.