In today’s world, artists must be able to produce and distribute their work themselves, and the technology at hand makes it both possible and essential.
I believe deeply in nurturing creative voices. But I also believe that talent alone will not carry anyone through a career in the arts. Over decades, I watched how the paths to success demanded far more than musical facility or visual sensibility. The last 15 years, or even the last five, have accelerated a transformation. Today, the creative world demands that the artist be their own platform, at least in part, and that the qualities of character and the tools of distribution must move in harmony.
I often tell young creators that success arises at the intersection of character traits and practical pillars. Passion, dedication, perseverance, and vision are the internal engine, but to bring your art to life, you also need clear communication, networking, production control, and distribution. One without the other is fragile. In the old model, a record label, a gallery, a publisher, or a gallery owner might absorb many of those external roles. Now, the barriers to entry have collapsed. That shift is both an opportunity and a responsibility.
Twenty years ago, an emerging novelist might have had to wait for an agent’s approval, a music artist for a label’s interest, or a painter for gallery acceptance. Today, a writer can upload to an e-book platform; a singer can post to streaming services; a visual artist can sell directly via online marketplaces or NFTs. For example, self-publishing is booming. Some estimates say the self-publishing industry has surged 264% over the past five years. And the global self-publishing services market is projected to grow from approximately $467 million in 2025 to $833 million by 2033.
In other words, the infrastructure is there. But it doesn’t guarantee success. An artist must bring their inner pillars into alignment with the outer ones.
Let me begin with passion and vision. A creator without a compelling internal spark will be overwhelmed by the noise of digital streams, social media, and the hunger for immediate metrics. Vision means you see beyond what everyone else sees, sometimes beyond what you can see today. It is a vision that carries an artist through lean times and gives purpose to every project.
Then dedication bridges vision into habit. Mastery is a ritual. You can’t dip in and out; you have to show up every day. In creative fields, that often means writing when no one reads, painting when no one buys, recording when no one streams. But the hours spent in struggle, when compounded, become the foundation for opportunity.
Next, clear communication and networking are the twin pillars by which you make your art comprehensible and visible to others. No matter how luminous your work, if you can’t describe it, position it, or connect it to people, it remains invisible. The artist today must be a storyteller of their own work. You must build a community of collaborators, amplifiers, mentors, and an audience.
By combining those with production control and distribution, you take ownership. When you produce, you preserve your creative integrity; when you distribute, you preserve your economic upside. In music, for example, services like Distrofy now let independent artists deliver globally to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and more, automating royalty splits and metadata in ways only labels used to manage. That’s power in your hands. If you have a network and you control distribution, you don’t need a gatekeeper. You only need to add value that someone will pay for or share.
Finally, and this is the pillar I return to over and over, perseverance. Time and again, I have been told, “It can’t be done,” and many called it foolish. But precisely because others pulled back from the arts, I attracted artists who believed. Through recessions, skepticism, politics, and doubt, I survived. That history is evidence that discipline over decades is the difference between promise and legacy.
Some may object: “Isn’t this digital DIY model oversaturated? Do we risk commoditizing art? What about quality control or gatekeeping that ensures curation?” These are valid concerns. But I believe that artists can find opportunities in these challenges as well. Gatekeepers still matter in their role of curation and amplification, but they no longer define entry. The early opportunities open room for the exceptional to rise by merit, not by access alone.
If you are an emerging creator today, you must adopt both mindsets: the inward mindset of character and the outward mindset of systems. Paint, write, dance, code, sing, but do so with the operational mindset of a founder. Lean into feedback loops. Repeat your work in real time. Build a mailing list or patron base before you launch your full work. Collaborate across disciplines, because the next art form may combine audio, visual, and interactive code.
The modern artist must be a producer, communicator, networker, and persevering innovator. If you align your passion, dedication, vision, and perseverance with the practical pillars of communication, networking, production, and distribution, you give yourself the truest shot at lasting impact. The technology is ready, and if you are willing, you already are your own platform.
About the Author
Ralph S. Opacic, Ed.D., is the founder of the Orange County School of the Arts and the California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley. He is a long-time advocate for arts education and creative entrepreneurship. Over decades, he has guided emerging artists, advised institutions, and championed a model where artistry and professional practice coexist. He writes and speaks on how creativity, discipline, and vision intersect in the changing world. Since retiring in 2021, Dr. Opacic has used his experiences in consulting with arts schools, arts nonprofits, and arts leaders across the country.
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