There is a cliché I’ve noticed, particularly among the politically inclined, that tends to crop up in
troubled times: “Well, at least we’ll get some good art.”
It is the belief that a period of societal strife will motivate artists to reach new highs, out of protest or maybe catharsis. This can be true today, but it will require greater support for the artistic community.
A common example of this phrase, at least in the circles I run in, specifies “punk music.”
Punk rock, historically, has been nonconformist, rebellious and anti-authoritarian. The image of mohawked punks rejecting the cultural conservatism of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher is powerful and a once-central fragment of global youth and counterculture.
Art born of hard times, of course, is much older than that.
The Dada movement was a reaction to the brutality of World War I. In the Great Depression, artists like Dorothea Lange and John Steinbeck rose to the occasion by depicting America’s hardship and producing great works. Even as far back as the 15th century, the biological nightmare of bubonic plague led to a variety of macabre art and influence.
It’s fair to say that this is a difficult time for many Americans. We are in a period of civil and social unrest; of economic hardship and upheaval. Inflation, infrastructural regression, state violence and now a war with Iran. This strife has already inspired artists, such as Dorothea Lange and the aforementioned Punks and Dadaists, to seek solace in their craft. However, the future for artists, too, seems uncertain.
It’s important to note that hard times can also create significant obstacles for artists. The Arts Action Fund reported a 7.7% decrease in arts funding. Museums have also experienced a decrease in funding in 2026, with 34% of museum directors reporting cuts to funding and grants. Education, a significant contributing factor to the arts, is subject to massive budget cuts, with over $12 billion in disruptions to funding over the past year.
The accessibility of art supplies may also be affected by wartime disruption of global supply chains. Acrylic paint and paintbrush bristles, like many things, are made of petroleum. With the global supply of petroleum disrupted, these items may become unaffordable.
Another significant concern in the future of art and art careers is generative artificial intelligence. Generative AI has significantly impacted the viability of multiple artistic careers. Many entry-level jobs for artists, like designing flyers and writing copy for local businesses, are now frequently filled by AI-generated work. Fewer of these jobs means fewer opportunities for aspiring artists to break into long-term professional and freelance work.
Artists with day jobs are essentially artists with divided time and attention. They must divide their mental resources between working, which gives them the means to survive and artistic pursuits. That’s not to diminish the quality of their work, merely to say from my own experience working and making art that their successes involve overcoming an additional challenge.
If you are working double shifts in an Amazon warehouse, you probably aren’t going to be brimming with inspiration and creative energy when you get home. Even if you are, you probably won’t have much time to create without cutting into your sleep schedule.
Artists who need day jobs and can’t find them face an even greater challenge and possible distraction from their work: survival. In a declining economic climate, many of us may find ourselves among those groups.
These disruptions to the availability of paid artistic work and art supplies themselves present a very real threat to our idealized Renaissance-in-the-darkness. Still, there is hope for artistic innovation in the years to come.
While generative AI has had a significant negative impact on the availability of artistic work, its prevalence has increased demand for authentic, skilled and handmade works. Etsy trend reports consistently show that their users tend to prefer verifiably handmade and AI-free artworks. Art communities on social media, such as TikTok and Instagram, also tend to prefer unquestionably human-made works. The desire for human art, thankfully, has not diminished.
This desire for authentic artwork is a smaller piece of another potential factor: youth culture.
Creative expression and design are often central to the identities of trendy youth.
Fashion, writing and music have seen an influx of young hopefuls. Bedroom-produced music and garage-based fashion brands are popular to the point of saturation. Authenticity is highly valued among them. These created works can be a valuable form of social capital in youth spaces and many are driven to seek it out.
In these spaces and elsewhere, there is a feeling of cultural discontentment.
There is anger, rebellion, resentment, the desire to be uncrushed and unbowed by the circumstances of life; the most obvious motivating factor behind art born of suffering. Will this emotional energy succeed in becoming great cultural work?
In my opinion, there can be groundbreaking works. There can be reached yet unseen artistic heights even in this time of darkness. But this result is conditional. It can occur only if we aid one another and work together to make this result possible.
Resources for artists are already becoming scarce. If we, as a community, wish to see great works of art, we will have to work together to mitigate these obstacles in any way we can. If you can teach, teach. If you have spare supplies, share them. The future of the arts in America is uncertain and funding seems to be in short supply. If we want to overcome this obstacle and make great art in a time of crisis, we will need to take a hands-on approach.
Kai Anderson can be reached at [email protected].
