半岛体育 has partnered with to create and amplify stories of inspiration that advocate for young people across the country to have access to arts and cultural experiences. The following article is written by the team at and adapted from their online publication Inspired.
When the Working-Class Artists Forum, on May 1, opened registration, organizers hoped for a strong turnout. They didn鈥檛 expect to sell out almost immediately or to generate a waiting list of more than 100 eager attendees. Overflow rooms were arranged. The message is unmistakable: this conversation matters.
And it鈥檚 no wonder. Artists from working-class backgrounds have faced rising barriers for decades鈥攆rom education to exhibition, from funding to finding their audience. 鈥淚t seemed to us that artists from the working class have had a more and more difficult time getting their work launched over the past 50 years,鈥� says Gregory Mosher, Tony Award-winning producer, theater director and Executive Director of The Office of the Arts at Hunter College, and one of the forum鈥檚 organizers. 鈥淭here are systemic issues, and we are going to discuss them.鈥�
Building a Space for Truth鈥攁nd Change
Curated with urgency and care, the forum brought together artists, policy makers, and government leaders on May 1st, 2025 to explore the challenges of class and creativity. It reflected not only the lived realities of working-class artists, but their aspirations and the cultural contributions they鈥檙e ready to make鈥攊f given the space.
Amid growing national conversations about economic disparity and the accessibility of culture, Mosher emphasizes the need for data and action. 鈥淥ne thing we hope will come out of the day is a decision to get real stats on working-class artists, as they have in the UK,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the individual artist who suffers here; America is the poorer for not hearing their voices.鈥�
The Barriers We Don't Talk About Enough
From representation onstage to the staff behind the curtain, the challenges are real. 鈥淭he first thing is just to acknowledge that this is an issue,鈥� says Mosher. 鈥淚nclude working-class artists in what you present. Have working-class people on your staffs to provide that perspective. For many, $48 isn鈥檛 a good student price鈥攊t鈥檚 lunch for a week.鈥�
Culture, Class, and Who Gets to Tell the Story
Too often, cultural gatekeeping determines not only what gets seen, but who gets to speak. 鈥淲orking-class artists need to raise their voices,鈥� Mosher says. 鈥淎merica is torn. We need to hear from all鈥攏ot just because everyone needs to feel seen and heard, but because we all need to do more seeing and listening.鈥�
Seeds of Change Are Already Growing
Despite the challenges, the energy and resilience of working-class artists are breaking through. 鈥淭here are collectives and communities doing incredible work,鈥� says Mosher. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 make it into major publications much, but that can change.鈥�
And as conversations about economic inequality deepen across the country, Mosher believes artists must be part of that narrative. 鈥淎s the general flat-lining of incomes for the majority of Americans over the past 50 years becomes acknowledged, clearer and more discussed, it鈥檚 inevitable that the artists鈥� place in this will become more present.鈥�
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