I was talking to the business owner of another creative agency this morning about the possible synergy between us.  One thing that struck me was the ethos that they wanted to develop for their agency.

“Giving a voice to design, convincing others to respect design, creatives and the processes behind ideas, execution, research etc.  Doing so, in the form of a clear-cut relationship; communication, transparency and trust between designer and client.”

Reading it made me think about the reverse side of this as well.  If creatives’ work is not appreciated, how can they fulfil their creative desire?  As Jess puts it, “there are people whose lives and mental health are affected by being overlooked whether that be from a below average salary, others being acknowledged for their achievements, people thinking design is just sitting about drawing and the hardship behind creative block.” I must agree.  The idea of creatives looking after their needs has been one of the defining principles I have looked at for several years.  However, is this down to clients’ perceptions or the fact that creatives do not stand up?  My initial thoughts would be that it is a mix of both.  It has always been an issue in the creative sector, the need, on the one hand, to be creative, on the other, to make a living from it.  A living that is sustainable and not just a wage.  Far too often, the reimbursement for a particular piece of work does not represent the amount of time or work devoted to the piece.  However, if creatives were to charge a realistic fee, then I am sure clients would be unwilling to pay.  Plus, there will always be someone who will do it at a cheaper rate.

Jess mentions transparency in the ethos, and I think this is one area where creatives can learn to inform clients of the process.  I don’t believe that clients sometimes understand the process or the outcome.  We need to be human; we need to respect each other.  Far too often in today’s world, people try to trample on others for their own personal satisfaction.  Whether they achieve that satisfaction is debatable, but nonetheless, they still try and, in doing so, totally don’t get the process that goes into getting there.  Transparency is the only way to get there.

One of the other things that struck me about the conversation was the need to address the mental health issues associated with creative practice.  I understand that every business sector has mental stresses and blocks.  But if a designer, artist, musician, or creative practitioner cannot produce work, their livelihood is at risk.  Furthermore, this block and associated mental stress can eventually lead to frustration and disappointment, if not addressed to suffering and even greater pressure.  So how can we as a sector address this issue and provide the support network to help all creatives who are either in this space or have been in this space and stop others from entering this space?  I know the perception of mental health issues has changed enormously over the past few years, but there still seems to be a stigma around it.  Also, I know of creatives who will not open up about being in a creative black hole but will keep going hoping to rediscover their spark.  The outcome usually leads to more disappointment, only exacerbating the whole situation.  The best course would be to acknowledge the situation to others first, step back, assess, and seek help.  Far too often, we do not have the option or the ability to step back and acknowledge our situation, leading to fear of disappointment and ridicule.  We need to provide a safe space where creatives can connect, as well as clients.  Going back to the original ethos that Jess was speaking about, this seems to be precisely the kind of organisation that needs to be built.  Let us help make it together.

Letcombe Production is dedicated to the arts, creative and social enterprise sectors. Our website has dedicated reels on running your creative or artistic practice as a business, articles and opportunities for artists. In addition, we can organise digital media, marketing, project management, grant writing, application assessment, and tools to help you run your creative and artistic practice.

Working predominantly in the arts and social enterprise sector, Letcombe Production can assist in all getting projects from idea to distribution. We can look after any size of project, from commercials or promotional productions to film or radio productions.