What this means is that after creating a piece of art (in any medium), many places will publish it for them for recognition instead of money.
“For the love” means to create solely for the love of creating.
I’ve been on both sides of this debate, and the answer as to whether someone should create “for the love” isn’t as simple as it may sound. There are a lot of nuances to consider, and opinions about whether or not this is an acceptable practice can change over time.
It Takes Time and Effort to Create
One of the main reasons that people argue against creating art “for the love” is that it takes time and effort.
And this is true.
In many cases, the creator has also gone to school to hone their craft, which means they are educated in their field. More than likely, they are also still paying off that education, so any type of income to help with that endeavor is welcome.
Let’s also not forget to mention that artists also have to pay bills and eat, so getting money for those things is essential.
Being a creator is a profession just like being a doctor, lawyer, or [insert whatever job you want to include here]. Just because it may be more enjoyable than these other positions doesn’t mean that the person shouldn’t get paid. It’s not their fault they found something that makes them happy and earns them an income.
For whatever reason, there is this widely accepted belief that art should be created for the masses and that the artist getting recognized for what they’ve done should be enough. It ties into the idea of the starving artist or the person who creates with the goal of bringing beauty to the world—both of which could apply, but these don't have to be the standard.
Creators do want to create something beautiful, as well as share their vision of the world with others, but they also want to make this a viable, sustainable way of life. They should be compensated for what they do.
They may create because they love to, but they also create to make a living.
Artistic Creation is Often Impulsive
Another reason why people say that creators shouldn’t get paid for their work is because they are going to create it anyway. Creativity is often a compulsion that has to be undertaken; otherwise, the artist will go crazy.
I mean…that’s true to a point.
Creators do feel compelled to create, but just because they were going to make something in the first place, that doesn’t give anyone the right to claim it as theirs without due compensation—and that goes beyond recognition.
There is such a thing as copyright in the U.S., so whether the creation was done compulsively or not, the rights still belong to the artist. If you want it for whatever reason, you need to pay the price.
When “For the Love” Might Be Acceptable
For the most part, I truly believe that artists should be monetarily compensated for their work. As I said, this is a skill that they have honed through time and education, and if it’s coveted by others, it’s worth something more than a pat on the back and their name in a prominent place.
However, I also believe that there are times when creating “for the love” is also acceptable.
For example, maybe they are approached by a charity and asked to create something for a fundraiser. If the creator believes in the cause and wants to help the charity raise money, they have every right to donate their work.
Perhaps they are new to the field and are trying to get their name out there. Getting their work published in different places without getting paid could be a good way to achieve that goal.
Maybe they’ve been in the creation game for a long time and have never seen a return on their investment. Maybe they’ve jumped through all the hoops and did all the things they were told to do, but they never made it big.
At that point, maybe they are tired of playing the game and trying to make money for their creations, but they still feel the compulsion to create. If they are so inclined, they may decide to continue doing what they enjoy “for the love.”
Basically, it all boils down to personal preference.
An artist can choose for themselves whether or not they want to charge for their work or if they want to give it away for free—and they can change their mind about these preferences at any time in their career.
Cheapening the Field?
For a lot of people, the drive for creators to always get compensated for their work stems from the idea that if they don’t, it will cheapen the field. Not getting paid will continue the thought process that art should be free and accessible to all.
I understand that side of the argument, and I can see why they think the way they think, but this isn’t something that’s going to change any time soon.
For many creators, there is a desperation to get noticed. They want the world to see what they’ve done, and getting their work out there may mean doing it for recognition instead of money. The hope is that one day, they’ll become so famous and adored that they will be able to make money on their creations.
The number of creators isn’t dwindling, it’s growing. That means that getting noticed is only getting harder.
At the end of the day, there is enough space in this world for all of the creations to have a place. Whether or not that means the creator is going to make a livable wage from their work…well, that’s to be seen.
Art is something that should be shared with others, but only the creator gets to decide how they want to be recognized.
If they are fine with creating “for the love,” it’s really no one else’s business to tell them they’re wrong.
