22 Mar The Benefits of Buying Art Locally and Globally

Buying Art Locally vs. Buying Art Globally

These days the trend is to “buy local”. Which, is important. When the industrial revolution catapulted us into modern capitalist consumerism culture, old-school values like community and local interdependence diminished. A sense of connectedness got traded in for fierce independence and egotistical ‘success’. Buying local is one way we can regain unity with others around us and support the projects that matter to us. Buying local is also a practical way to cut down on the environmental impact of shipping and labor exploitation*. For me, there is an important distinction between buying food locally versus buying art locally.

Food makes a lot of sense because the whole system works better if we eat seasonally and support our farmers. On the other hand, supporting only local artists means we’re perpetuating the world’s view of Americans as increasingly insular, ignorant, and unappreciative of other cultures. We now live in a global economy whether we like it or not. Which means that our neighbors aren’t just down the street anymore. They are in other countries and many are online. Foreign artists and crafters possess huge talent, wisdom, and the ability to contribute to a richer society.

Many age-old crafts are being lost because it is too difficult for artists to survive on the pittance received for their work. Not only are younger generations often preoccupied with technology and modern living but older generations are encouraging their children to pursue an easier way of life. Being a ‘starving artist’ isn’t so romantic when it’s a reality. Just like our local artists, foreign artists must earn a living in a demanding world and sometimes, in even more dire circumstances. In addition, artists from poorer countries often do not have access to the same opportunity that first-world artists do.  

How to Support Foreign Artists

The USA is a very privileged nation. Despite our current civil battles, we remain at the top of the food chain in terms of having disposable income to buy luxury items. It’s our responsibility to help out artists who may not have access to the same markets as we do. Potential ways to do this:

• When you’re traveling, pay full price instead of haggling (unless it’s rude not to)
• Shop internationally on Etsy
• If your friends and family love an artist you’ve found overseas, do ‘co-op’ buys of their work
• Set-up/sponsor a website

I understand that buying goods from foreign countries is a contentious issue. Not only does purchasing from overseas have an environmental impact, but national identities are currently being challenged. Countries are trying to support immigrants and refugees while citizens pay increasingly high taxes and the gap steadily grows between the rich and the poor. Nations naturally want to look after their own before they do others. Still, the sooner we accept that we are a global community, the more we can benefit from sharing, learning, and co-existing in a way that is peaceful, helpful, and nurturing to artists around the world.

*There’s plenty of labor exploitation in the USA; many Americans struggle to earn a living wage.