There are no shortage of “target sectors” being singled out by economic development organizations (in asheville, the 5×5 campaign used to market and support the following five local job sectors: advanced manufacturing, healthcare, arts and culture, science and technology, and knowledge-based entrepreneurs), accelerators, funders, incubators, networking events, co-working. not dissing any of that activity, it is good work. there is a world of gifting and bartering and sharing that is not painted into those sectors. a picture, a map, a painting – the art of economy, for lack of better expression for now. in getting there, the artist has an instinct to which it must be true, but wanting it’s selfish vision to be collaborative. staying true to instinct, collaboratively, collectively, and wary of sectoring too soon, siloing shutting off the hive mind. . but staying with insticts – it’s a dance with vision by the artist in a collective realm, which artists are not wont to do. in this dance, it wants to paint a picture, with completion by the collective. the artist realizes she must be clear, because vague-booking the vision has stirred up scorn, directives, arrogance, guidelines, turfism, excitement, honor, and intrigue. so artist, do not feel guilty of your selfish vision, the collective has their own selfish visions as well (as evidenced by their reactions), even as they arc toward collective, it is a bumpy re-programming for this hard-scrabble appalachian-american culture. the instinct wants to see a picture, a complex web and hive of the humanity of gifting, bartering, mentoring, mining, fees, wages, connecting, bridging, pollinating. how huge and beautiful and complex and human is our economy.
