Should I share my flaws and struggles as part of my artist story?

Absolutely. We’re all broken and imperfect—none of us are perfect, and we all have skeletons in the closet. As the quote goes, if you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance. In a world where corporate CEOs are learning they can’t hide behind polished PR anymore and need to show up as real humans with flaws, the same applies to artists. Your flaws, struggles, and authentic humanity are what make you relatable and real. This authenticity is especially valuable now because it’s what clearly differentiates you from AI-generated content. Being vulnerable and real in your storytelling creates genuine connection with your audience. Don’t try to present a perfect image—share your real journey, challenges, and the messy truth of being an artist. That’s what resonates.

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Asked by implied question from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2026-01-09