Welcome to Assembly required with Stacey Abrams from Cricket Media. I'm your host, Stacey Abrams. On our show, we take what

feels like impractical problems, break them down, and figure out workable solutions.

We won't solve everything, but it's a start. A few months ago, as I scrolled through my

FYP on Tik-Toc, a creator was fretting about the intersection of technology and art.

Waxing a bit nostalgic about the good old days of patrons as

protectors of talent. Of course patrons only supported certain artists and

specific styles, leaving most artists to find their own way.

Governments have dipped their toes into the leaving most artists to find their own way.

Governments have dipped their toes into the economics of arts and culture with funding,

but never as fully as they should, because art is a real job and it's big business.

In fact, the non-profit arts and culture industry

generates more than $165 billion in economic activity,

which support nearly 5 million jobs, and generates almost 30 billion in

government revenue.

But today's conversation is not about the woeful lack of true public funding for the arts

as a cultural and business obligation.

Instead, I bring you the topic that brought the Tik-Tocker to my feed.

Today's conversation will focus on technology's impact on how artist and musicians create and monetize their work.

And what that might mean for culture, the economy, and how our public discourse will unfold

or collapse.

Open the pod bay doors, Hal. I'm sorry, Dave.

I'm afraid I can't do that.

...