What It Means to Support Art and Mental Health Research Through Create Me Free

Take a few minutes to learn what this is all about and see if it's something that you want to be a part of - no obligation or pressure!

Hello everyone. I want to take a moment to tell you how incredibly grateful I am that you are here. That you spend any amount of time reading the words that I write means so much to me. I work really hard to be as authentic, transparent and open as possible as I build a library of online resources related to the complex relationship between art and mental health while also striving to build community and boost other creatives in the process. That you are here in any way fills my heart with so much warmth and love. Thank you.

As we move from all that gratitude into what for many people is a shopping season, I want to remind you that many material things only go so far, and ask you to consider putting some of that money towards supporting the creative work that can’t thrive or even survive without you. Signing up for, or donating, an annual subscription to Create Me Free is one immediate way to do that and it has long-reaching benefits for the creative community.

And, if I’m being blunt, money is really, really, really tight right now and the immediate support is much needed.

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HOLIDAY SPECIAL: For every five new annual subscribers that sign up between now and December 31, 2023, I will immediately become an annual Subscriber to another Substacker, magnifying your impact throughout this community.

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Hi, I’m the real person behind the words :)

Of course, we all have plenty of things we want to give our money to support. Let me make my case for choosing a Create Me Free subscription today …

Here’s What Your Investment Means:

• You believe that art is therapeutic but that there’s a shadow side that is complicated especially when people try to make a living off of their art. You sense that there is a better way. You want to help find it.

• You support the creation of a body of work that delves deep into the complex relationship between art and mental health. This isn’t just a series of articles. This aims to be a library of information, resources, and tools for empowerment that artists, teachers, therapists and others can turn to in order to decrease stigma, increase creativity, and encourage holistic health. You want to help create that library.

• You want to see galleries/museums/schools/government all provide proactive support for the mental health of artists, visitors and staff. This goes beyond “trigger warnings” and towards a deep understanding of the true interconnected, sometimes internecine, relationship between art and mental health. It is not about diluting the power of art but about making the most of that power while retaining wellness of individuals and communities.

• You believe writers and artists should earn a livable wage. I have nearly twenty years of experience as a full-time writer, and I’ve been deeply committed to this specific niche for over a decade. When you support my work, you help me make a livable wage doing this work. That doesn’t just support me. It also shows the world that we believe that writers and artists should earn a real income.

• Moreover, I put that money back into other artists and writers. I give a minimum of ten percent of my pre-tax earned income directly back to other artists/writers/makers/performers. I believe in keeping as much money as possible circulating within our creative community. If you also believe that, support it.

• You want to be in community with others who are interested in this issue. Each week, I’m sharing excerpts from the best writing here on Substack related to this niche. This includes links, additional information for research, commentary on the importance of the piece to the body of work, etc.

• You believe that art matters. You believe that mental health matters. You want others to see that you support this core belief.

Support Create Me Free at a Price That Works For You

I set my annual subscription price at $100 for the year but you have lots of options. I chose this amount because if each one of you that’s subscribed for free upgrades to that amount, then I can devote myself to this work full time, allowing me to build community, support lots of other creatives, and build out this library of resources.

Remember that $100 per year feels like a lot but it’s only about $8 per month, $2 per week, or one quarter per day. If that’s something that you can offer, it goes much, much further here than you might think.

That said, I offer a variety of Pay What You Can Options. Pick a price starting at just $10 per year and I’ll honor it. Some quick links for sliding scale options you might select:

• Lucky 13 Discount - 13% off forever

• Grateful for the Gift - 75% off one year

• Gotta Pay the Rent Soon Discount - 50% off one year

• Barely Getting By Discount - $10 flat rate for one year

For every five new annual subscribers before 12/31/23, I’ll subscribe to another Substacker to keep that money circulating among creatives here. PLUS, I’m donating ten percent of all December earnings to Dressember, details to follow in an upcoming post.

For Those Amazing Few Who Can Give More!

Do you already subscribe and want to know what else you can do? Or are you ready to contribute for the first time and want to throw in a bonus? First, you’re amazing and I’m eternally grateful. Second, here are some options:

• Upgrade your membership to a Founding Member plan.

• Gift a subscription to a friend. (link below) Happy holidays to someone you love who might be inspired by letters about the relationship between art and mental health!!!!

• Donate a subscription to a stranger. (link below)

• Send a one-time Venmo payment of any amount to @KVercillo

Collaboration Invited

I’m always open to collaboration including guest posts, interviews, cross-posting, etc. Through the end of the year, I’ll be pretty slow to answer email, but I do have two easy Google Forms that allow you to answer interview questions in either words or images. Then I will write up the interview and send you a draft link.

You can answer a visual interview here or answer in words here.