How Can Southern Californians Encourage Talented Musicians to Pursue a Career in Music?

There are many reasons I feel so grateful to live and work in Southern California, including the simple fact that communities stretching from Northridge all the way to Seal Beach seem to clearly understand the importance of supporting the arts in any way possible. Each time I attend an orchestral performance or gallery showing, I am reminded that Southern California is somewhat unique in this regard, as few other regions can boast such a robust community of artists featuring so many remarkably talented and truly creative individuals.

Even so, it is still the case that many talented artists ultimately choose to trade their creative aspirations for a career perceived as offering a greater level of stability or security. This perception led me to wonder: If aspiring artists surrounded by the supportive members of the Southern California community are nonetheless discouraged from pursuing a career in music, fine art, acting, or any other creative pursuit, is there something more that can be done to prevent this from occurring, both in our own community as well as in other communities all over the country?

Philanthropic efforts can certainly provide an additional level of support, especially for those who wish to pursue an artistic career but are unable to do so because of financial constraints. The cost of attending a college or university specializing in one or more of the arts represents one of the most common financial hurdles encountered by aspiring artists, which is why I was inspired to create an academic scholarship to help offset the costs of a higher education. Since I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship I received throughout my own academic career, I felt compelled to take action to ensure an aspiring musician would not be deprived of the benefits of a higher education.

Of course, philanthropy is just one way we can encourage the talented artists living in the communities of Southern California and beyond to pursue a career as a creative professional. After hearing that so many young artists are discouraged from pursuing a career in arts because of the misleading reputation that the profession cannot offer the kind of stability or security associated with other professions, I believe that simply correcting this unfortunate and all-too-common misconception will go a long way toward ensuring we do not lose out on the creativity of these talented, up-and-coming artists.

Perhaps a simple informational campaign aimed at showcasing the wide variety of stable and secure job opportunities available to creative professionals -- not just in Southern California, but also across the entirety of the United States -- could represent an initial step in the right direction. With so much artistic and creative talent out there, wouldn't it be such a shame for it to be wasted due to nothing more than some unfounded concerns about the profession's inherent level of security and stability?