"The Culture Crash" at ALOUD at L.A. Public Library

On Tuesday night, January 13, I attended an ALOUD program at the central library in L.A.  The topic was the new book "Culture Crash:  The Killing of the Creative Class," by Scott Timberg.  His premise is that when artists and artisans can't make a living, we all pay the price.  Artisans include booksellers, indie musicians, architects and graphic designers.  Timberg, author and arts journalist, was joined in a panel with Barbara Bestor, architect and John McCrea, musician and founding member of Cake.  The moderater was Sasha Anawalt, Director of USC Annenberg Arts Journalism Program.

Limberg stated that the 1% are clobbering the artists who can't make a living.  In the 2008 crash, banks were saved but not newspapers, magazines, musicians and other artists.  He interviewed over 100 people before writing the book.  John McCrea said that there is little coming to musicians for selling songs.  He said that artist need a collective voice.  Barbara said that jobs have been shed in architecture, journalism and Hollywood musicians rates were cut in half.  Eighty percent of the journalists covering the arts have lost their job since 2008.  It was said that creativity has been crushed by Wall Street and Tech America like Google.  Fortunately government does support creative spaces like the Library, but more are needed.  Bookstores and record stores are closing due to on-line buying.

Artist must sell themselves and be social entrepreneurs...back slappers.  This means we loose introverts and people who won't sell themselves and their wares.  There is also contraction in middle management and non performing song writers. L.A. Times has cut half their staff.  It was suggested we have more newspapers like  The Guardian which is run by a non-profit trust.

From the left:  Sandra Anawalt, Scott Timberg, Barbara Bestor, and John McCrea