creative collaboration
the art of collectively using God's gifts.
Nowadays, when newly established and aspiring creatives and those in between hear the word “collaboration,” they begin shaking in their boots and clutching their pearls with one hand and their iPhone in the other. They are entirely flustered by the idea of “working for free” or triggered & overrun by thoughts of how terrible their last collaboration went.
If anybody gets it, I do. As someone who participated in small—and large-scale collabs and even worked for free under the gaze of “exposure” & genuine excitement, I know what it’s like to be taken advantage of, undermined, and used for my time, likeness, and skill at the end of the day.
As a seasoned model and creative, I don’t believe I’m above mutual collaborations to this day, regardless of how far I go. Mutual and intentional cooperation is critical to helping us become who we’d like to be and where we’d like to go as creatives through the work we co-create with our peers and the connections we make over time.
If you’re like my mother or new to this forever-changing industry, you’re probably wondering: What is a creative collaboration, and who does it serve?
By Shana B.'s definition, a creative collaboration is a beneficial exchange of services, skills, time, and energy amongst a diverse group of creatives to bring a mutaul, or indviaual vision to life, by telling a story (through different art forms).
Creative collaboration can be done for fun, audience expansion, portfolio building, and work for more prominent companies/brands or publications. Through innovative partnerships, we practice our craft, build our skills/knowledge and work ethic, and network.
Over the years, after witnessing many of our peers make it and live out their dreams during and after, the ChanceTheRapper era inspired many local creatives by showing us that our creative, artistic dreams are not far out of our reach if we do the work, and put ourselves out there. However, this caused an influx of one-sided collaborations (“for exposure”), lacking intention and integrity, leaving many aspiring creatives wounded, bitter, and jaded.
While I have had poor experiences, I have also had fruitful and beneficial collaborations that have led to long-term friendships and working relationships. For example, my relationship with Sal. She was a Columbia student or just graduated then, and we worked with each other through collaborations set up by two photographers. The third time we worked together, I contacted Sal to style one of my first storytelling projects in Chatham. During these moments of co-creating, we developed a friendship and work relationship till we experienced moments of being booked on the same team for other businesses and brands.
Nowadays, the art and purpose of creative collaboration are lost among ego, selfishness, gimmicks, and a lack of integrity and individual purpose and vision. Many people aren’t in it for the love of the art, so they don’t value community, which produces collaboration; they do not believe in the purpose.
When individuals begin to prioritize a superficial lifestyle and adopt an egotistic mindset, it causes people to lack character: they see people only as dollar signs and what someone can do for them, breeding opportunists and watering down the field with gimmicks to go viral.
DO THE RIGHT THING, LIKE SPIKE LEE.
“Do we have to work with everyone who approaches us for a collaboration?” Absolutely not; we must research and observe whether this artist and their story/vision align with the work we currently create or aspire to create. It’s also good to observe and evaluate a person’s character aside from their art because they can not be separated from the art at the end of the day. Lastly, it’s good to question whether this person has an audience that’s more diverse or broader than ours that we can potentially expose ourselves to for potential clients, networks, and opportunities. As you navigate creative collaborations, your discernment will help you decide quickly.
Regardless of how passionate and dedicated we are to our craft and how we present ourselves, people still have the option to say no, and that’s okay. I don’t think it’s meant to be taken personally. However, Law Roach said something that has altered my mindset on rejection: a no now is a no forever.
At this point, you probably wonder, “Well, how do we get paid to support ourselves as creatives?” The number one answer is a job. As badly as we’d like to live off our creative work from the start, we must start with a stable and consistent income to help maintain our livelihood and mental health. Then, we can explore other side hustles and gigs as we build ourselves up and set a price that reflects our skill level and experience. A set price doesn’t exclude one from co-creating at any point in their career. To this day, many established artists and creatives still partake in creative collaborations.
To avoid making the same mistakes as our elders did in the 1970s and 1980s, co-creating in good faith and off good vibes, we have a responsibility to protect ourselves and archive our work. We’re practicing and building ourselves up as creatives and professionals. This can only be done by HOW we present ourselves when seeking collaborations (with presentations) and finalizing and executing our visions with contracts & agreements.
This past weekend, I facilitated my first professional creative collaboration as a creative director and model, along with a stylist, Sal (@salsogroovy), a make-up artist, Yummz (@odbaristry), and a photographer, Alina Gofman (@alinagofman), and a BTS photographer, Cardo (@moneypyramids). We honestly had fun. It didn’t feel like we were wasting our time or doing each other favors. Everyone came with good energy and intentions; it was evident by how hands-on and vocal everyone was while working. I never experienced something like that on that level, by my doing. I am excited to continue my creative work, establish a solid portfolio, and secure higher-paying opportunities to share among those in my network.
What do you think a creative collaboration is? How should it be done? Should there be a time limit or a price? Share your thoughts with me. You can leave a comment, join the chat, or send me a personal message.
Great article!! ♾️