"[I]f the elites are excluded, a broad private demand for works of art can occur only when the basic material needs of a large proportion of the population have been satisfied; and this is more likely to take place during periods of economic growth than in a depression."
Art kind of fits into 3,4,&5 on Maslow's list for me. It helps me to feel like I belong to a community. When I'm not creating I get the feeling that I don't belong with this community. I need to prove that I belong and creating like my friends helps me to feel legitimate. My confidence is bolstered when I get productive feedback about my work. I get the impression that my work is better than I think it is at times. And it definitely is the catalyst (through going to grad school) for self-actualization.
Would more people create if their baser needs were being met? What about the children in the film Born into Brothels? They were creating photographs, but were their physiological and safety needs being met?
I know the quote from North's book is talking about the society at large. The Dutch Golden Age was a time of economic growth, and art was looked upon as a commodity. This was the first time in history that art became secular and found an audience in the middle class. Is art looked on in our society the same way it was then? Is there an elitest view of art currently in our culture? Do we have master artists anymore? There was competition between artists in the 1600s - does that still exist now?
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