Seismic Shift in Entertainment Awards
It’s time.
It is time for award shows to stop pitting artists against each other and to start celebrating the best that everyone has to offer. More and more artists are starting to take a public stand on the idea that being “the best” is an impossible label to hold. While it can’t be denied that some artists are better than others that should not diminish the work that everyone puts out. When someone puts something good into the world, it should be recognized, acknowledged, and celebrated regardless of how it compares to anyone else’s effort.
TooFab (Facebook, Instagram) has a great example of this in their article, “Celebs Who’d Rather Not Be Included at Award Shows” which was published last year. It reviews artists who have grown resistant to being in opposition against their fellow artists which forces a choice to be made and by default leaves many deserving artists without the recognition they deserve.
SASSAwards could not agree more. Just because one person puts out good work does not dimmish the work of everyone else. We all deserve recognition for doing the best we can with what we have. It shouldn’t be a competition between each other, but within ourselves to do our best and try to improve each day.
Stash (Facebook, Instagram), a financial investment team published an article in 2019 on “The Business of Award Shows: The Oscars, Grammys, and More”. The article provides information on the financial outcomes of several award shows and how the creative project can get a “bump” by being connected to a show in some way. Getting your project on an award show is advertising so there is financial incentive to be mentioned. This is several steps away from recognizing good work, it is a money machine and s/he who has the deepest pockets wins even more money.
SASSAwards could not agree less. Talent, art, and creativity are not about how much money you have, but what you do with what you have and being able to get a message across with grace and beauty. You shouldn’t have to be connected to the inner circle to have good work recognized.
Everyone has something to show the world and the more different voices that are celebrated the more collective and inclusive we can strive to become.