Artistically-Inclined Twitter Accounts to Help You Out of a Creative Funk
Social Media has created astonishing new opportunities for the modern artist; whether it’s due to the hyper-speed at which one can now share creative work, the accessibility of connecting with other artists in our communities, or just the sheer convenience of seeing more artistic expression than ever before, these days it really does seem that art is all around us—especially if you’re a person looking for it.
One of my favorite things about Twitter is the ability to see and share so much creativity in a single place. That’s why I decided to ask around and conjure up the top artistically-inclined Twitter accounts, or those accounts that celebrate creative culture. Now, this is obviously very subjective, but it’s just a starting point to begin treating social media as artistic and not merely a place for gossip and news.
1. @Brainpicker – Writer Maria Popova runs the website Brainpickings, a world of art and culture where Popova writes articles about creativity in all of its forms. She reportedly reads up to 12 books a week and officially updates her website four times a day. Her Twitter presence is reflective of her website, it functions as a way to provide a snippet of the article or her latest book review and then a link to the website to read the rest of the article. Articles range from design, fashion, poetry, prose, acting, and even lists of author’s habits! Popova’s mantra has always been that surrounding yourself in other’s art is good for your art, a mantra that I subscribe to as well. If you’ve ever needed a break from your craft but still want to be immersed in the creative process this is an incredible account to have in your feed, and always a source of daily inspiration.
2. @CreativeMorning – Creative Mornings is a monthly breakfast lecture series held around the world. The lectures encompass all artistic disciplines and are chiefly concerned with creating excellent art in all its forms; they also frequently offer advice on how to live as a modern-day artist, and specific advice applied to each medium. Their Twitter offers snippets of beautiful excerpts from lectures, a schedule of their lectures, and a place to keep track of creative events in your city. It even inspired me to attend a lecture, and I hope it may do the same for you!
3. @LaughingSquid – The Laughing Squid is a massively popular blog with a Twitter account that posts its’ daily pieces on art, culture, and technology from around the world. Everything ranging from Harry Potter comics to a Ted talk on “Why We Love Repetition in Music” is featured. What makes The Laughing Squid standout among the pack is that all of the articles and tweets are focused on fun. The information that they share is often light but it maintains the refreshing earnestness of the blog; a mindset that not everything in life has to be treated seriously. I welcome the fun of this playful account.
4. @99U – 99U is a cultural blog with a focus on creative productivity and artistic output. Their small press has produced many excellent books on how to function as an artist in the modern world, including a thoughtful book on managing your day to day. Their Twitter account focuses on more of the practical side of creativity; how to measure success, how to be productive artistically, and artful ways to approach business. This adds amazing left-brained input into your creative process and helps bring some business savvy into your Twitter feed.
5. @NEAarts – The National Endowment For The Arts is an independent federal government agency that provides funds and grants for all artistic disciplines. Their Twitter feed offers information on important new artists, grants available, and news on art around the country. They’re also great at re-tweeting creative accounts that are new and fresh, so it’s an easy way of staying on top of the contemporary arts scene.
6. @ParisReview – This quarterly literary magazine is staple of American storytelling and its Twitter account is a lovely way to explore recent poetry, prose, and fascinating interviews with some of the finest literary artists working today. The Paris Review has been around for ages and is considered by many “the place” for short story work; its addition to your feed will allow you a delightful daily chance to read some of the finest writing in the country.
The coolest part about being an artist in this day and age is that we can connect so easily to our audience, and to other artists. This constant input of information, along with the guidance of peers and audiences, allows us to flourish and grow at a fantastical pace. When you surround yourself with good thoughts, good people, and good art, they have a way of giving a piece of themselves over to you. Hopefully a Twitter feed full of galvanizing art will help you along on your artistic journey.
XX,
Your Gay Best Friend
Featured image via Brainpickings: “Drawing from the City“ by artist Tejubehan,
