The New Era Artist Manifesto

Humanity stands at the threshold of sweeping changes for the state and quality of existence as we know it. Whether we are informed by the voices of intuition, science and rational thinking, society around us, or the supersensible realm, it has never been more clear that the era for significant change has arrived. Change will happen. The question for humanity will be whether or not humanity will choose to participate in this change in an auspicious manner.

Welcome to The New Era.

The New Era, by definition, represents a sweeping movement of human thought and action which seeks to prepare and move humanity into the next stage of its evolution, via culture focused on expanding consciousness and the greater common good. It represents a time of revealing the interconnectedness of all things and beings, and their ultimate indivisibility. The New Era constitutes our current day and age, the apparent and emerging still-to-come, as well as the time beyond.

Boiled down to its most basic level, the New Era Artist’s work and creations fall into at least one of three categories of ethos:

• The work serves to prepare and/or advance humanity for the next stage in human evolution. It may also serve as a cautionary voice for the time at hand.

• The work serves to advance the single and collective artistic discipline, and in so doing, is progressive by definition.

• The work serves as a bridge spanning the divide between ancient and modern, cultural and spiritual, generational and ideological, sacred and profane. In doing so, the work gives voice to the forgotten, marginalized, or yet to be realized.

In the New Era Artist’s work, other factors come into play which contribute to the ethic of creators and their creations:

• Ultimately, the New Era Artist is equal parts student and teacher.

• The work is done in the spirit of gratitude and service. This does not, however, preclude the artist from compensation and meritorious material gain.

• The work and the artist lend a voice, providing guide and inspiration while eschewing dogma.

• The work and the artist ask questions; they may also offer answers.

• The work and the artist are free of cynicism and nationalism.

The New Era Artist is already here in our midst, and countless voices are emerging who are choosing to take up the calling of the New Era Artist. To define oneself as a New Era Artist is not to seek an ivory tower from which to separate oneself from the rest of humanity, but an answer to a calling which humanity itself has given rise to. We are not a cultural elite seeking to be set aside or trivialized, we are individuals set elbow-to-elbow with every living thing in creation, seeking to represent a cultural vanguard of expansive thinking.

The New Era Artist is seldom relegated to a single discipline, however, most will have one discipline which they gravitate toward and excel in. Speaking the greater message is of greater importance than the method of dissemination.

The New Era Artist chooses to take up the call of responsibility for what art means, and can mean to humanity. Many will perceive New Era Art to be a derivation of what “New Age” came to mean. But while the New Era may indeed stem from the legacy of New Age thinking and artistry, New Era is free from the trappings and marginalization of what New Age has come to signify: new and ancient ideas often abused and misused for materialistic purposes, pre-packaged lightness and sentimentality, or an empty synthesis of ideas serving as fodder for marketing.

Finally, ideas emerging from New Era Thinking aren’t necessarily new, nor are the artists who are emerging as New Era Artists brand new. It is the common vision and the emerging voice of commitment to the vision which is fresh. New ideas will emerge as we take individual and collective leaps-of-faith.

As a collective of conscientious individuals or collaborative artists, committed to the betterment of all that lives and breathes, we have the opportunity to not only shift thought, but hearts and paradigms. We have the opportunity to change the shape of things-to-come, the course and the shape of humanity, even the color of our souls, should we choose to do so.

In committing ourselves to our work, we will neither fear, nor let the shadow of our souls flourish, nor let the specter of dread overtake this planet we call home. Instead, in giving voice to all aspects of our being, we may find human perspectives still unimagined. We have the chance to cultivate light and hope, but we need never again starve any aspect of our souls.

Take up the calling of the New Era Artist so that one day humanity can say that the change we seek has indeed been accomplished…