For immediate release: abrasiveMedia is pleased to announce their new interdisciplinary program.
What will you consider not creating with “Art of the Mind”?
After researching growing funding trends in the artistic sector, the organization has developed this creative offering in order to remain on the “cutting edge” while keeping costs at a minimum.This program is based on the idea that the mind is an untapped venue for artistic presentation, so rather than focusing all of that money and time on developing resources to make and present physical, tangible, or experiential art, the organization will enable the audience member – wherever they are – to imagine the art that could have been made.
abrasiveMedia’s Executive Director, Audra Almond-Harvey, had this to say recently about the program:
“This allows us to address several issues we face in the arts community every day. It will allow us to control our costs, as we don’t need to buy expensive materials or cover the cost of talent. And the program directly combats the elitism that the arts are known for, as if there isn’t any view-able art to see, you don’t have to wonder if you’re missing something that everyone else seems to get. “
Cost-cutting and elitism are certainly issues every arts organization must face in the current climate. But that’s not all. Almond-Harvey continued,
Just think of the potential…
“You can imagine any kind of art you want: performing, visual, new media, etc., as your imagination isn’t limited by funding constraints, decreasing audience engagement across the sector, or the fear that you should have listened to your parents and gone into accounting.Of course, one of the biggest draws is that with imaginary art, you can picture art that fits within your pre-established worldviews. Just imagine the time we’ll save, as we won’t have to deal with people getting offended! And then, there’s what is possibly the biggest benefit to us – some of the general public seems to think that creative types really just spend all of our time hanging out and getting drunk. This new program will allow us to free up time that was previously spent on things like grant applications, fund management, revenue development, education, curation, program development, audience building, venue management, and the like. Now we can put our efforts into just being drunk all the time, and really work on excelling at that one thing.”
Along with regular, reasonably-priced showings and site-specific performances, abrasiveMedia is also planning a school outreach program in which students will stare at their desks and imagine what they could create if arts and music education were a greater funding priority in our country. The program will eventually expand nation-wide. The organization is starting local, however, with mental-music for which you will never have to pay. This initiative recognizes Nashville’s legacy as Music City USA, and has the added benefit of offering “music” which will never get stuck in your head.