Finding Your ‘Adjacent Possible’
Forging creative alliances is key to building a multi-dimensional music career. Teaming up can multiply your efforts and move your career in an upward trajectory. Traditionally, musicians joined with “professional” teammates like management companies, high-level booking agents and established record labels. This still goes on, but in the DIY era we’re increasingly seeing artists and bands avoiding the corporate players and instead finding friends and relatives as viable “partners” in the goal of growing a musical buzz.
Those with music companies must always be looking for business partners and creative alliances to help expand their offerings and their markets as well. A music instruction service may team up with a dance studio; a booking agency with a concert promoter; or a record label with a live music series. One enlarges the other.
But these are pretty typical. What about the non-typical allies?
“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” – Wm. Plomer
Creative alliances will sometimes come from the “adjacent possible” too. What’s that? It’s the “seemingly unconnected.” Check this out.
I recently heard a gentleman named Ben Cameron speak on “the adjacent possible” in the arts. Cameron is a figure more familiar to the non-profit arts sector than the for-profit, and he has an uncanny way of turning our attention towards interesting angles on ordinary things.
By the “adjacent possible” he means finding something in an adjacent area of the economy that may have a possible application in yours.
For example, he cites Gutenburg who, he says, didn’t invent the printing press by hanging out with calligraphers. He was observing a wine press and he lifted that technology from the wine industry into printing – and, of course, history was forever changed.
Another example is the subscription system – a journalistic model lifted into a performing arts context. All quite familiar today.
But here’s the kicker.
Springboard for the Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota has replicated the community shares agricultural model (where you buy a share in a local farm and you go once a month to pick up your produce) into an arts context.
Springboard launched a community share for artists. Arts patrons buy shares in the artist community and then go pick up their ‘box of art’ once a month – A pick up, Cameron says, that is adored by performers, bands, concerts, galleries, and other arts events; one that has huge public visibility; and that was sold out instantly. When they doubled the number of shares, they sold out again.
Furthermore, he says, the people that buy the box of art go on to collect from the artists they like, commission additional works, and more and more and so on.
An adjacent possible from the agricultural industry lifted over to the performing arts.
“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” – Wm. Plomer
Where is your adjacent possible? I’d love to hear your ideas.
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Good Evening Gang,
Peter, your a constant supply of fresh water always overflowing with creativity, bringing nourishment for a good harvest.
For me,I recognize that “adjacent possibilities” are never ending as long as I have the right attitude.
I thrive on the concept Of ‘Attitude of Gratitude” from there I am able to see so many doors open.
When the need comes to find something more to add to what I have and am doing this always means,I have two choices of attitude to get to my goal. If I see my situation as daunting and in need then that’s all I get.
When I am grateful and have the “Attitude of Gratitude” Then I can see the grapes and not the giants then doors open and my eyes can see the possibilities.
Opportunities even come to me.
This is how we shape shift our world. Even now we could listen to all the news in the world and see the troubles and woes and become blinded by it’s negativity. When in reality these new alliances made in the market place and “Bartering System” rejuvenated Is actually the best thing we could be doing for ourselves and the economy thus such is then the world around us.
It means we are breaking free from big Corps and thriving on our own. Try to see it as Thriving and not just surviving and your eyes will see so much more opportunity.
I have been applying these new tools into my life and my belief is growing stronger and stronger and so is the opportunities for me.
I am growing even stronger as I read Peter’s “Indie Marketing Power” and “Indie Business power” Wow!
Between the new attitude I have found and with knowledge and attitude Peter shares in these books ;I just gotta ,say it like it is: I feel empowered to do anything.(What happens in the mind happens in time)
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Someone needs what you have. We are all like pieces of the inner workings of a clock. If one piece is missing the clock does not function.
Remember that when you are looking for your adjacent possibilities. It doesn’t have to take a long thought process to find a new possibility it only takes the belief and attitude that you are going to find that new connection. Your attitude, with conviction and the first step out the door. Will lead you into it and you will see it. when it comes.Warning… you will see so many possibilities that you need to be choosy and pick the one you know is right
Thank you, for letting me share that I hope it helps someone.
Connie
Thanks Connie – glad it shed some light.
Peter this is a great post and great idea for independent and local artists/musicians in a community. How can one implement a system like this?
Good question Angel! I’d recommend gathering nearby people from different industries who enjoy the arts and brainstorming together. That would be a good start.
If you contact Springboard for the Arts (contact info at http://www.springboardforthearts.org), they have a kit/materials available for people who would like to start a similar program in their area.
Thanks for sharing that Susan; and thanks for reading!
I play in / manage a band from Minneapolis called PB & the Jam (www.pbandthejam.com) and we recently struck up a partnership with local brewing company Lucid Brewing working together to cross promote. We played an event they held and they are promoting our weekly gig where we promote their beer. It is growing still but has already brought new ears to our music and together we are crossing new ground that neither could cross alone.
I thought that was a good example of the idea of adjacent possibility.
Thanks for this post! -