I was asked to teach a course in the fall at Western in a department with the word creative in its name. Surprisingly they asked me what I would imagine teaching? I think it would be useful and stimulating to look at case studies of the business people behind the “success” of various artists. Like who went to bat for them. Like Paul Durand-Ruel and Renoir, Monet and Pissarro or Brian Epstein and those damn Beatles. Frequently courses are taught as though success is about the artist’s determination. I think more often it is about hooking up with a business person who believes in the artist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"