One of the most disliked aspects of modern life is the tendency toward centralization is the drift toward conglomeration. To its critics, this leads to a world of products made without passion or distinction. Trying to withstand this tidal wave of multinational corporate dominance, independent book publishers hang on almost against all hope.
At the bottom of it the big difference between mass corporate owners and independent owners is quite straightforward. The latter is built upon or run by someone working there out of some sort of interest in actual books. That leaves at least some room for surprising, individualistic books that didn't have to pass a focus group. Perhaps a book will slip into existence based on a refined taste rather than a cross section of consumers.
It is not at all unusual to find small publishing houses owned and largely staffed by graduates of Master's of Fine Arts programs. Many of these might have entered their program hoping to produce work so exceptional so soon that they would end up teaching their art on the college or elite high school level. This fortune befalls few today, leaving graduates seeking employment that will keep them fed while writing their poetry or crafting their sculpture.
With the growth in MFA graduates, there simply are not nearly enough teaching jobs to create any reasonable expectation of an academic career. This situation is compounded by the deepening crisis of the shrinking audience for the fine arts overall. It has become increasingly obvious that the arts must be fought for in the public sphere.
A growing number of graduates sees the business side of art not just as a fallback to the academy but as the arts' true battlefield in this century. Too few without gray hair seem to be visiting the symphony anymore. More MFA programs each year offer courses in the production of little magazines and small volumes of poetry.
Technology, especially consumer electronics, is assigned much of the blame. Doubtless it has given billions of people worldwide easy access to the arts. However, on the whole it has made it more difficult, not less, to make a living as any sort of artist.
There is worry about an even more direct effect of technology that tends to depress the consumption of challenging art. The public shows signs of having its attention span shortened by the ever more frenetic pacing of mass media. It is not uncommon to come across young people who cannot tolerate black and white movies, much less silent film. Those living such a quick-twitch lifestyle are not likely to sit through a modern dance performance, or even to hear of it.
The new century both gives and takes, and the new generation of artists is savvy to exploit any opportunity. Many who keep the small houses alive, working against the cultural headwind, are nostalgic for a more culturally appreciative past. But tomorrow appears to be the domain of the self-publisher, his and her own author, marketer, publisher, and, often less fortunately, editor.
At the bottom of it the big difference between mass corporate owners and independent owners is quite straightforward. The latter is built upon or run by someone working there out of some sort of interest in actual books. That leaves at least some room for surprising, individualistic books that didn't have to pass a focus group. Perhaps a book will slip into existence based on a refined taste rather than a cross section of consumers.
It is not at all unusual to find small publishing houses owned and largely staffed by graduates of Master's of Fine Arts programs. Many of these might have entered their program hoping to produce work so exceptional so soon that they would end up teaching their art on the college or elite high school level. This fortune befalls few today, leaving graduates seeking employment that will keep them fed while writing their poetry or crafting their sculpture.
With the growth in MFA graduates, there simply are not nearly enough teaching jobs to create any reasonable expectation of an academic career. This situation is compounded by the deepening crisis of the shrinking audience for the fine arts overall. It has become increasingly obvious that the arts must be fought for in the public sphere.
A growing number of graduates sees the business side of art not just as a fallback to the academy but as the arts' true battlefield in this century. Too few without gray hair seem to be visiting the symphony anymore. More MFA programs each year offer courses in the production of little magazines and small volumes of poetry.
Technology, especially consumer electronics, is assigned much of the blame. Doubtless it has given billions of people worldwide easy access to the arts. However, on the whole it has made it more difficult, not less, to make a living as any sort of artist.
There is worry about an even more direct effect of technology that tends to depress the consumption of challenging art. The public shows signs of having its attention span shortened by the ever more frenetic pacing of mass media. It is not uncommon to come across young people who cannot tolerate black and white movies, much less silent film. Those living such a quick-twitch lifestyle are not likely to sit through a modern dance performance, or even to hear of it.
The new century both gives and takes, and the new generation of artists is savvy to exploit any opportunity. Many who keep the small houses alive, working against the cultural headwind, are nostalgic for a more culturally appreciative past. But tomorrow appears to be the domain of the self-publisher, his and her own author, marketer, publisher, and, often less fortunately, editor.
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