Art for the 99%
I’ve always believed that creativity is a human instinct, not a luxury. But the truth is, not everyone gets the freedom to explore it.
I came into art through skateboarding, street culture, and a bit of curiosity. It wasn’t through galleries or family connections. My mum was a nurse, and our background was working class, so art wasn’t an obvious dream for me, it was something you stumbled into if you were lucky enough to have the time.
That’s what this whole “art for the 99%” conversation is really about. It’s not that working-class people lack talent or ideas, they just don’t have the time to work on them.
When you’re working two jobs or worrying about bills, you don’t generally get to spend your evenings painting, writing, or experimenting with things that fill you with energy.
This is the real creative inequality no one really likes to talk about. Time truly is the biggest privilege of them all.
During lockdown, when the world stopped, everyone suddenly became more creative. They were painting, writing, and taking photos. That wasn’t a coincidence. It was proof that creativity flourishes when people finally have space to breathe.
I firmly believe the next generation of artists won’t be defined by who their parents are, but by what they create.
Creativity must belong to everyone, not just the ones who can afford to chase it.
Let’s make more time, more space, and more opportunity for art that actually reflects the world we live in.
— Calum Hall, Founder
