Monday, August 17, 2015

Evergreen Art

Evergreen. A media term that describes material that can be used on numerous occasions over a long period. Evergreen program content can air at multiple times on a variety of platforms because it is not time sensitive.

I learned the term while attending a workshop at Scribe, in preparation for a five-week radio program Keepers Of The Culture will be producing and hosting. (Stay tuned for more details.)  As soon as I heard the term, it resonated with me. It actually made me smile.

Later, reflecting more on the word, I realized what appealed to me about the word.  It occurred to me that evergreen is a characteristic of great art. An effective story is evergreen when it contains universal truths with wide ranging applications. A great song is enjoyed by generations often when the message is timeless.

As an artist, it is more appealing to me to create art that is evergreen rather than art that is popular. Evergreen art inevitably is content that touches hearts. Artists like the Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, the R & B band, is a shinning example of artists who never achieved wide popularity, never won a Grammy; but still perform before sold out audiences after four decades together.  Their success and longevity are credited to the theme of unity and reverence for something greater than yourself.

The lesson: an artist can achieve longevity with quality content that connects people.




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