For Devoted Fans, a Click is as Good as a Clap

December 22nd, 2009 by Santtu Parikka

Once upon a time, enjoyment of art and the support of the artists who created it were inextricably linked. The hard rock fans amongst us would spend an evening punching the air with their fist, as an exponent of hair metal pumped out tunes at the local sports-arena-turned-music-venue. Those into the visual arts could don a beige turtle neck jumper, make their way to the local art gallery, and spend time appreciating a rendition of some dogs playing poker. Whether one tuned into the radio, rented a movie or bought a print, if you wanted to enjoy an artist’s work you had to support them in some way.

In the digital age, where high speed internet floods homes all over the world with virtually unlimited media, the opportunity to enjoy art is no longer necessarily linked to supporting its creator. Fans not bothered by intellectual property laws can now enjoy an artist’s work without even being aware who the artist is, let alone supporting them in any way.

This does not mean the new world is a horrible place for creative types. A painter from Timbuktu can now offer her work to a global audience. This huge, varied demand gives artists the opportunity to target niche audiences in a way not possible with traditional distribution methods.

The Pirate’s Booty
For the artists, it’s easy to focus on the downside, however – especially for those whose work is easily distributed over the internet. For many of them, the new world is full of people who like to take their work without paying for it.

Now, we all know the arts are a noble pursuit. It is often said that it is one of the things that separates us from the animals (even those that can play poker). But although artists are seldom motivated just by money, they still need to eat, drink and smoke enormous quantities of cigarettes.

Until recently, the financial opportunities to support an artist were pretty much limited to actions initiated by them. This made sense in a world where fans could only enjoy the artist’s work if they bought a print, visited a gallery or went to the movies. This old paradigm made it difficult for fans to enjoy art without paying for it, but it was not necessarily a perfect scenario for the artists either – if they didn’t release an album, or artwork, or go on tour their work for a while, a vast reservoir of goodwill went untapped.

The Tipping Point
Rather than fight the new system – and risk fan backlash like Metallica suffered – some artists have chosen to embrace the digital era and capture this untapped appreciation. One way they are doing this is by using Micro-donations. It is now common for an artist’s Myspace pages to have a “Tip Jar” that links to payment methods like Paypal. Much like a busker’s open guitar case on the street, this technology allows fans to tip an artist any amount they like be it for providing a free download, or just to show their appreciation for a job well done. Radiohead went as far as to offer their new album In Rainbows for fans to download at any price they saw fit.

Aside from the traditional tip, more specialized sites are now popping up that are specifically designed as a means for managing and nurturing the artist-fan relationship. On these sites, in return for donations, fans can get access to unreleased content, sit in on a recording session, or get a mention in the sleeve notes of a new book.

The Roadies of the Future
Financial assistance can also be given by reducing an artist’s expenses. For example some fans run online competitions to design a new album cover online, or conduct votes to decide the schedule of a tour. The sort of things some artists may not have the money, time or inclination to do themselves, fans are more than happy to take up.

How fans will support their favorite artists in the future is uncertain. It seems that – especially for smaller artists – micro-donations may make a real difference to whether they can support themselves through their art alone.

For music fans, there are now myriad ways to support their favorite artists, and much more art available for them to enjoy (and let’s not forget how the emergence of internet piracy has forced many artists to go on tour again, in order to make up for the decline in royalty payments. It is hard to think of a band that hasn’t had a comeback tour in the last few years – regardless of whether the original members are all still living).

For the artists, technological developments are a mixed blessing, but the underlying formula remains the same. Keep producing the goods, and fans will keep supporting you. It’s just that in the future appreciation may be just as likely to be shown with a click as with a clap.

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