Pat and James explore the question of whether art can still drive cultural or social change in ways that improve people’s lives. The answer seems to be yes, but what James calls “the old tricks” don’t work anymore. Artists who want to influence other people have to find a new way forward.

In the end, although the Gifted Underachievers realize that how people get their art has changed a tremendous amount in the last few decades, we agree that it’s important to ask these questions of ourselves and our creative communities. Now matters.

Questions for Listeners

Hop on over to our segment web page and leave a comment!

* Do you use your creative work to drive social/cultural change?

* If yes, drop a link in the comments to let us know what your creative work is and what you believe its effect has been, locally or in a larger context.

* Do you believe art matters in the same way as 50 or even 20 years ago?

* How can we better stewards of culture? What do you think that means?

* Do you believe that any one creator or creative work can influence how its consumers think or behave?

* If yes, can you give an example?

Segment Links:

How to Make Art for Social Change

Sharon Louden – Driving Social Change

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Writing can be a cruel mistress (and as Pat learns from former journalist James, journalism is the cruelest field of all). Both Gifted Underachievers have pulled themselves back from the brink of despair, poverty, and the “Q” word (QUITTING) at least once as they pursue their creative and financial goals.

In this segment, we talk about what led to our creative nadir(s) and what it took to get back on our feet.

Questions for Listeners:

(Hop on over to our segment web page and leave a comment! We’d love to hear.)

* What’s the worst moment of your creative life?

* How did you demonstrate GRIT?

* Or did you quit—and if so, why?

Segment Links:

David Eggers and Jonah Lehrer — Tortured Artists and “Grit”

Case Study: Elizabeth Jane Gardner (Bouguereau) Perseverance and Grit

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Do we need trigger warnings for people who want to see a show, read a book, listen to a song, enter a gallery, or encounter art in a public space, but are worried about its effect on them?

“Art, generally speaking, is supposed to be triggering.” Thus speaks James Buchanan, writer and cohost of Gifted Underachievers.

In this short piece, we share our respective positions on trigger warnings for creative work.

Let us know what you think—we’d love to hear!

Questions for Listeners:

(Hop on over to the segment web page to leave a comment.)

* Should art carry trigger warnings?

* If yes, where should those be and how detailed should they get?

Segment Links:

Michigan State University’s student magazine The Current weighs in:

https://thecurrentmsu.com/2022/04/21/does-art-need-a-warning/

A little regional paper called the New York Times shares its thoughts on trigger warnings:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/learning/should-art-come-with-trigger-warnings.html

Inside Museum Walls: Are Trigger Warnings Necessary for Art About Trauma?

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

If you had unlimited funds, how would you approach your current creative project(s)? What if you had “midlevel” funds? No funds? This is the question posed to Pat by a very helpful grant administrator in a debrief call. Your gifted underachievers discuss the value of feedback, how creatives can improve their grant applications, how to make your project memorable and easy to discuss among grant juries, and whether it’s worthwhile to pay for professional help with a grant of relatively low monetary value.

That springboards us to the deeper questions of how midlevel creatives can motivate themselves to apply for grants when they make more money putting those hours into their paid work. The answer: grants have value beyond money. They amplify your profile and get you better opportunities. The question then becomes, are midlevel creatives not thinking long-term enough to reach a higher level?

Questions for Listeners:

Hop on over to our segment web page to leave a reply!

* Do you regularly apply for grants?

* Have you ever gotten a debriefing from a grant administrator?

* Do you think midlevel creatives can raise their profile by winning grants?

* If you were to give this a try, how long would your timeframe be to achieve results—1 year, 3, 5, or longer?

Segment Links:

Reddit Contemporary Art Forum all about Grants: https://www.reddit.com/r/ContemporaryArt/comments/g9e3e8/your_thoughts_on_artist_grants_how_much_is_enough/

Substack writer claiming to know “The Truth About Canadian Art Grants”

Professional Artist Institute – The Grant Mistakes Artists Make

Grant Writing 101: It’s Not Rocket Surgery

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We’re in the Clubhouse, minding our business, talking about goals for the fiscal year—which is hilarious in itself, as there is no fiscal aspect to the Gifted Underachievers kingdom. James gets a good idea, then Pat gets one, then we’re off to the races. Before you know it, we’re presenting an award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Questions for Listeners:

(Hop on over to our segment web page to leave a reply.)

* What’s your most delusional ambition?

* Who have you told about it?

* What did THEY say?

Segment Links:

Oscar’s Nerdy Cousin: https://laist.com/shows/take-two/oscars-nerdy-cousin-honoring-the-scientific-and-technical-geniuses-who-make-movie-magic

How do they make the Oscar statuette?

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In this segment, your Gifted Underachievers talk about discovering themselves as writers, fumbling around, experimenting, and trying different things, then the a-ha time when each of us realized…we had found our own unique creative style.

Question for Listeners:

Hop on over to the segment web page to leave a reply!

* Do you know when you went from being so-so at your art to having a style or voice of your own?

Segment Links:

Thanks for listening to Gifted Underachievers! This post is public so feel free to share it.

We’d love to have you in the GU Clubhouse! No spam, unsubscribe any time.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit giftedunderachievers.substack.com