The Artist as Culture Producer: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life

Blue Star Contemporary welcomes Sharon Loudenand Home Bodies exhibiting artist Lenka Clayton in conversation with the public about how artists sustain their practice and their greater societal role.

Through panel discussions, symposia, casual conversations and town-hall forums, we are connecting book contributors, local artists, critics, non-profit participants, thought leaders, and other members of the general public to learn about, lend their voices to, and be inspired by the vast range of influence that visual artists exert on society. We are including as many contributors as possible from the book, helping to further our efforts to cross-pollinate artists among regions. Our ultimate goal is to de-mythologize the tired cliche’ of the Artist Hero by dispensing with the notion that contemporary artists should be treated differently from other members of our communities.

Common topics discussed on the book tour include:

• how artists extend their practices outside of their studios.
• the roles artists play as change agents in society.
• models of sustaining creative lives in the public realm.
• redefining who a contemporary artist is today.
• exploring what success means to different artists.
• how artists contribute to the well-being of others.