PHIL WATTS

Phil Watts, is a multi-instrumentalist musician and artist currently based in the Hunter Valley NSW Australia.

Watts writes and sings and performs his own songs accompanied by his amazing art videos.

Discrimination against artists

George makes a great point around the discrimination that exists against artists.

I’m a musician with a background in visual arts who lives in a regional area or the “bush”.

I’ve only just returned to a full-time creative life after retiring early.

I have a real reluctance to engage in the arts administration processes - funding etc.

So, I find myself, like most artists do funding myself.

Inevitably there comes a time when the money runs out and you need to find income or employment of some sort. This is the artistic merry go around of boom & bust. If you work you have less time for your practise. But in fairness most musicians I know find a way to make this work with many lessons learnt along the way.

So, I bounce around off grid on part time unemployment benefit & private income living as cheaply as I can. Of course, that was before the car problems hit!

Truth be told I don’t experience social pressures about being an artist I have troubles dealing with the life I have chosen for myself as an artist. Don’t forget that artists and musicians are the change agents of society, so we need to be the change we seek.

George asks when are the rights of artists to be respected? Only when there is a total paradigm shift and it’s coming!

Artists & musicians are the voices heralding these massive changes.

- Phil Watts © 2023.