Art World Gatekeeping Forces Artists to Compete with Damien Davis (254)

Damien Davis is a visual artist and writer who questions the art world's power structures from an artist's perspective. In this conversation with host Alyson Stanfield, he exposes the gatekeeping mechanisms—from application fees to institutional approval—that keep artists competing for artificially scarce opportunities instead of recognizing the abundance they could create together. Damien reveals: How learning business skills like grant writing and fundraising allowed him to stop waiting for gatekeepers and reclaim his studio practice Why he defines a successful artist as simply someone who keeps making art, regardless of galleries or institutional validation How barriers like application fees serve to keep artists competing for resources that should be abundant Why people at the center of the art ecosystem benefit from keeping artists in perpetual competition with each other How his writing exposes exploitation directly while his colorful sculptures draw viewers into uncomfortable conversations about erased histories Read more, see images, find resources mentioned Connect with Damien: Website and Newsletter Instagram Hyperallergic Articles Email me to discuss strategic consulting for your long-term career goals. Think you'd make a good guest on The Art Biz? Read This The Art Biz is recorded on the traditional land of the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute tribes.

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Art World Gatekeeping Forces Artists to Compete with Damien Davis (254) is an episode from Art Biz Podcast by Alyson Stanfield.

This episode is 52:24 long.

This episode was published on Jan 22, 2026.

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