Artists are the undercompensated engines of our economy. | Amy L. Bernstein | TEDxLogan Circle

Public funding for the arts in the United States, at federal, state and local levels, is described as flat or shrinking, while wealthy companies and institutions hold significant influence over which projects receive support. The talk argues that artists, who play a key role in local economies, are undercompensated. Amy L. Bernstein, an author and book coach, asks what would change if artists were paid like other tradespeople and professionals, and how greater economic control could strengthen communities and the wider cultural landscape.

• Arts funding at federal, state and local levels is described as stagnant or declining
• Corporate and institutional influence over which arts projects get funded
• Ways to give artists more economic power over their own work
• Compensating artists like other professionals and its effect on communities

In the United States, the arts—and individual artists—are on the losing end of late-stage capitalism. Funding for arts at the federal, state, and local levels are stagnant or declining. Wealthy companies and institutions wield outsized influence—in other words, power—over who and what gets funded. This is choking off artists, who are the unsung heroes of local economies. Amy’s talk explores how to put more economic power in the hands of artists themselves. What would happen if we compensated artists like other tradespeople and professionals? How might that shift influence and strengthen our communities and the cultural landscape in general? Amy L. Bernstein is an award-winning author, former journalist, and book coach who crafts stories that blend intellect with emotion. Her seven books include the speculative novel TENT CITY and WRANGLING THE DOUBT MONSTER, a widely read guide for creative inspiration. A past recipient of grants from the Rubys Artist Grant program and Maryland Humanities, Amy was named a Pushcart-nominated poet in 2025. She hosts a weekly Substack newsletter and regularly speaks at national writers' conferences. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx