Can an artist be less than or equal to another?

There’s always awards—a winner—when it comes to creative arts. A favorite to pick. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

I attended a music festival a while back. I stood surrounded by different genres and styles. Artists with more stage lights and fireworks played at the end. Those artists, of course, were more popular and award-winning. But some of the best artists I saw played in the middle of the day. They didn’t get the fancy visual effects, but they played just as good or better.

Sometimes it seems as if we put this divide between artists. “Writers in the top ten must write better than others.” “That poet must not be as talented. No one knows her name as much.” But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Every artist—no matter the fame—has their own beauty in their creative works. They’re great in their own way. Popularity doesn’t need to separate them. No artists is less than another. I honestly respect every artist, even if their work doesn’t speak to me or catch my attention.

No artist is less than another.