For anyone in any industry, a strong sense of community and connection to the people who share your career-oriented morals and motivations is important. But for artists of color who have chosen a less traditional path often started on their own, it can be hard to find your people. On top of this, some groups are not granted the same resources and support as other, more mainstream groups. And although many in the art industry predict that multicultural artists will be the leading force in the second Renaissance, there is still a need for support to help them reach another historical milestone. 

So what exactly should these communities look like? To organize multicultural artist communities by mediums and cultural backgrounds would be too easy and too dismissive of crafts. The connections people make go far beyond a bond over using the same pencil type or even having a greater understanding of a particular culture. People, especially artists who turn their experiences into masterpieces, need to be surrounded by people that will help them translate life into art. They need inspiration, motivation, and acceptance. Similar to group therapy settings, they need peers that will be reciprocal in the support and care they are willing to give them.

The purpose of these communities goes beyond supporting creators; its mission should also be to decolonize art museums and spaces that don’t accurately represent the artists in the world. The only way for this to happen is to give those in other positions in the art industry the resources they need. From museum staff to auctioneers, we need to make space for people of color in the administrative, more traditional art management positions. These will be the people who seek out and prioritize giving multicultural artists of all time periods and movements the chance to share their work and, ultimately, their perspectives.

How should people outside of these communities support artists? The simplest answer would be to purchase and promote multicultural artists at any chance you get. But, realistically, that requires a lot more research than supporting other artists might. Using platforms such as Patreon, finding communities on social media platforms like Twitter, and becoming a full-time follower of these groups will give you the best access to multicultural artists. On top of this, you will also connect to these artists on another level, learning about their personal lives straight from the source, witnessing their creative process, and recieving a better understanding of an artist’s life. You won’t just be supporting multicultural artists; you’ll be their close ally. 

Artists of color are going to lead the world of creation in the next few years, just as they have been doing for centuries about now with the public’s acknowledgement of their craft. And, to ensure that these creators get the recognition they deserve, we need to support their communities and make way for their supportive spaces to exist. Whether you donate to a group or buy a crypto piece from a multicultural artist, you will be contributing to the rising art revolution.