Dear readers,
I recently picked up Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam’s bestselling book about the collapse of community in the U.S. At a whopping 581 pages, this veritable doorstop is a trove of data and insight into our increasingly isolated world. First published in 2000, before the internet exponentially diverted our attention from the physical world, the book reveals what is today common knowledge: we’re trending toward individualism rather than real social connection.
Bowling Alone surfaced from my TBR pile because Christopher and I are writing a book about community art (forthcoming from Artisan in 2027) and have been researching not only artists and projects but also why so many people, us included, have become increasingly interested in artworks that are social in nature. There are many reasons why community art has flourished in recent decades, but it seems apparent to me that one reason is the decline in the kinds of organizations and clubs Putnam studied. We know that humans need social connections to thrive, and today, community art is one way we create those bonds.
Our research has cemented one of the things I’ve long loved about creativity and self-expression, particularly in a fractured world: art has a singular ability to bind us to one another, no matter how different we might feel.
This belief is the foundation of what we do at Colossal. We publish stories that highlight the immense breadth of human creativity, with a focus on projects that illuminate individual experiences while tapping into something universal. As we speak with artists and readers each day, we know that this work is both a balm and a critical service in this increasingly polarizing time.
We also know that without you, there is no us. Only 1% of readers financially support our work, and while we love what we do, publishing isn’t sustainable without additional funding. Colossal relies on the direct contributions of our members to pay our writers and keep the proverbial lights on.
Consider joining your fellow art lovers in supporting our community when we collectively need it most. Art is better together.
With gratitude,
Grace Ebert
Editorial director, Colossal
