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The primary reason most people attend jams is to share ideas or concepts. Classes are great for learning, but they are usually focused on a particular lesson or concept and much more rigid of an atmosphere. Jams are generally informal gatherings that may have a theme, but often lead of in many different directions, often unrelated to the original theme. Nothing fosters creativity more than being around a group of creative people in an atmosphere of free-flowing ideas. A question may be asked, or an idea presented that sparks new questions or ideas and then the creative juices start flowing as one idea sparks another and multiple concepts begin to fill the room. All because a few people are willing to get together and share.
But won't my competition steal my ideas and my business? If you are concerned about your competition getting better than you, you probably don't need to worry because they most likely already are. Keeping to yourself and not sharing ideas is a sure way to isolate yourself from new ideas that could spark your creativity and open up new possibilities for your art and your business. I regularly teach my competition at jams, classes, seminars and conventions because I want the level of skills in my region to go up with me. The better the balloon artists in my area are the more people will appreciate the "art" in balloon art and the more we will be able to charge for our services. As we all get better, our market improves and we all have the opportunity to do better. Improving the skill of those around me also encourages me to continue to strive to learn more and get better, and thus helps keep me from stagnating and falling into a rut of mediocrity. Jamming may expose your competition to some of your ideas, but it will also expose you to many new ideas as you see what others in your community are doing. Your creativity will be sparked and new ideas will continue to come even after you leave the jam and continue to play with the ideas that started there. Creativity must be fed in order for it to grow and jams frequently provide a nutrient rich idea soup for your brain that will cause your creativity to grow and expand in directions that you would never have thought of otherwise.
For those who of you who think you know all you need to know, you are only fooling yourself and stifling your growth as an artist and a business. Regardless of how long you've been working at your art, how many classes you've attended, or how much you think you know, there is always something more to learn. I've been a balloon artist for 20 years and have taught numerous classes across the US, but I am still always amazed at how the balloon industry is growing and the new ideas that are constantly coming out. No matter how good you are, there is always someone who knows a little more, or knows something that you haven't encountered or thought of yet. You can never learn too much, but you can certainly not learn enough. Jamming is a great way to learn new ideas as you watch the creativity of others in you industry share ideas and concepts.
The final point that I want to touch on is networking. Networking is a fantastic way to grow and expand your business. You may think that you'll never need to hire someone else, but wouldn't it be a good problem if your business grew to the point that you needed to hire others to help you? If you need to hire another artist to help at a gig, or to fill in for you, how will you know who to hire if you don't know any others in your area. At a jam you get to meet other artists in an informal environment where they are relaxed and open. You will get to see their skill level, get to know them personally and have the opportunity to discuss business ideas with them. You will learn who you can trust and who you would never want to hire without them ever knowing. You can talk to others in the group and find out their experiences with group members and know who you want to fill in for you if you ever needed someone to do so. You will also meet artists who have other skills that your clients may be looking for. At balloon jams many who attend are also face painters, magicians, jugglers or caricature artists. You can learn not only who does what, but you can get a feel for their skill level and personality. The next time you get a call and someone asks about a form of art that you don't do, you'll be able to either offer to book someone for them, or refer them confidently to an artist who won't make you look bad.
These are only some of the reasons that attending jams can benefit you as an artist and a business. Your skills will improve, your creativity will grow, you will network with others in your community and will have a lot of fun as you share and fellowship with others who share your interests. I have written this article primarily from the perspective of a balloon artist, but these same principles apply to face painters, magicians, jugglers, painters, musician and any other form of creative art. Take a few minutes to search the internet or talk to other entertainers in your area to see if there are any local jams and then make an effort to go out and join them. If there aren't any jams consider starting one, it doesn't need to be anything fancy, just an evening where a bunch of people who share a common interest in your art form get together to fellowship, share and have fun. If you are reasonably close to the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas come join us sometime for our monthly G.O.T. Balloons jam. You can find out more about it by visiting the web site at http://gotballoons.org. Of course, don't forget to check the BHQ calendar for upcoming events in as well.
Sincerely twisted,
Stretch
