Feeling creative?

I spend a lot of time talking about creating inspiration.  I think that in the modern world as we've come to know it, most people live their lives completely devoid of inspiration. 

How many of you work in a field or job where every single day you do something that inspires you?  Do you feel that your work is creative?  Better yet, have you inspired someone else?

Most friends I know who have 'real jobs' (I, a musician and arts manager, do not have a 'real job') spend all of their time complaining about their lives.  They work too hard...they really do.  They spend too much time working on projects for other people, and are often spending too many hours away from their family.  And friends?  Please, who has time for friends.  They can hopefully, possibly, maybe arrange a lunch date with friends...as long as its not next week, cause next week is a mess.  They work for businesses or organizations that they don't even believe in.  They make great money, spend it on things they don't need, and the highlight of their whole life: a vacation somewhere warm.

Now, as a musician I don't really understand any of those concepts.  I work for me, and for my art.  I spend time each day being inspired and creative, and often inspiring others.  I do work too many hours, and I don't get paid for half of them...but does it matter?  No.  I feel fulfilled.  And this will probably be of no shock to anyone, I've never been on a vacation somewhere warm. 

While recently talking to one of my friends who's a 'normy' (works for a big corporation), he was telling me that he is trying to "spend more time living in the moment".  And that's when it hit me.  People who go out and find time for the arts find themselves living in the proverbial moment. 

Think about it:  the last time you went to a concert, did you spend the whole concert thinking about your job?  Or how much you dislike your boss?  Or how Sally in finance has been absolutely useless lately?  No, you didn't.  You sat still.  More impressively, you sat still in a room with hundreds of other people.  Each person there has a busy life, a stressful day - but they all experienced what you did.  That moment where it didn't actually matter anymore that life isn't always fulfilling....all that mattered was that for that moment, you were inspired. 

You didn't have to create to feel creative. 

I think the mission of Third Ave Centre is to help busy people make time in their lives for something that is more important than money, and more fulfilling that sitting at home or going out for drinks. 

This week brought a lot of awesome news - so watch for some annoucnements in the next few days! 

Start the new year right and come to Third Ave to see our friends the Prairie Virtuosi perform - the concert features the violinist Carissa Klopoushak, a national treasure herself!  Vivaldi's Four Seasons are sure to get your creative buzz on.