Why I’m Choosing Ordinary People to Help Share My Art with the World

For a long time, I believed that art needed permission.

Permission from galleries.

Permission from curators.

Permission from the “right” people in the “right” rooms.

I knocked on those doors. I sent emails. I shared portfolios. And again and again, I was met with silence, polite and sometimes not so polite rejection, or disinterest. After a while, the message felt clear: "you don’t belong here." 

But art doesn’t come from institutions. Art comes from people.

And that’s why I’ve decided to take a different path—one that doesn’t rely on gatekeepers, but on human connection.

Art Was Never Meant to Be Locked Away

My work is meant to be seen, questioned, felt, and talked about. It’s meant for the person waiting for a bus, the café worker on their break, the student passing by on their way home, the neighbour who didn’t plan on encountering art that day.

Galleries may not want my work—but that doesn’t mean the world doesn’t.

So instead of spending my time seeking approval, I’m now choosing participation.

Why Ordinary People Matter More Than Ever

Ordinary people are extraordinary because they move through real spaces. They understand their neighbourhoods. They know where eyes linger and where curiosity lives. When an everyday person chooses to share art, it’s not transactional—it’s personal.

If you help place one poster or spark one conversation, you become part of my much needed support network. 

This is art traveling hand-to-hand, not top-down.

Where My Art Can Shine (With Your Help And Where Permitted)

Posters don’t need prestigious addresses. They need presence. Here are places where art can breathe, surprise, and connect:

Community Spaces

* Local cafés and coffee shop notice boards

* Independent bookstores and libraries

* Laundromats, community centers, and youth clubs

* Art supply stores or music shops

Everyday Urban Corners

* Bus and train station boards

* Bicycle racks 

* Public waiting areas

Workplace & Social Spaces

* Break rooms 

* Shared office buildings

* Church halls

* Universities, colleges, and student unions

* Co-working spaces

Unexpected but Powerful Locations

* Your own home

* Grocery store community boards

* Gyms and other studios

* Hair salons and barbershops

* Record stores, vintage shops, thrift stores

These are places where people already pause, already look, already live.

What a Poster Can Do

A poster doesn’t shout. It whispers.

It says, "Someone made this."

It asks, "What do you feel when you see it?" 

It invites, "Come find me." 

Even if someone only glances at it for three seconds, that’s three seconds of connection that can lead to later successes. 

Choosing Hope Over Permission

From now on I’m choosing to trust ordinary people—people who understand that creativity doesn’t need validation to be valuable. 

This is not just about sharing my art. It’s about proving that art belongs to everyone and that anyone can determine its value.

And maybe, together, we can build something the spaces that refused to exhibit even one of my artworks could never offer me. 

So download the PDF, print it, and put it up where you have permission to do so. Thank you for understanding that this is an unpaid voluntary action and part of your contribution to supporting a visual artist.

Please remember to leave a comment below to let me know how you've joined in. 

Thank you for your kind support. 💐