Artistic Relevance: Between Excellence, Connection, and Creative Sustainability

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself thinking a great deal about what artistic relevance really means. And if you’re a musician, or if you work in any form of artistic expression, chances are this question has crossed your mind at some point as well.

Being an artist, especially as a professional, is ultimately a search for relevance. It means creating - and living - experiences that leave an impact. It means thinking about the present through the act of creation while also thinking about the long-term body of work and legacy we hope to build. It means wanting to create something that matters, both to others and to ourselves. It’s a process filled with curiosity, fulfillment, and discovery, but also one that involves creative challenges, performance, career development, and, inevitably, recognition. We want what we create to resonate, to have an impact, and to find its place in the world.

There is also a very practical side to this pursuit. We live in a market economy. Choosing art as a profession means, like any other career, finding a way to support ourselves through the work we create. At some level, relevance is also connected to survival and sustainability.

Throughout my career as a composer, arranger, music director, and educator, this question has taken many different forms. It has been present in my search for institutional recognition, in large-scale artistic projects, in my efforts to make original works possible, and, more recently, in my reflections about the kind of legacy I hope to leave behind.

These reflections are not new to me, but in recent years I’ve returned to them with greater depth.

The Many Faces of Artistic Relevance

As I began reflecting on the very meaning of the word relevance, I found myself arriving at a series of related ideas.

From a relatively straightforward perspective, we can think of relevance as something attributed to different qualities of both an artist and a work of art.

For musicians, artistic relevance is the ability to create something that goes beyond the immediate moment - something that offers an aesthetic or expressive experience capable of enduring over time while expanding the ways we listen to, feel, or understand music.

Social relevance, on the other hand, is expressed through the ability to connect with people, evoke emotion, inspire reflection, or encourage engagement. Unlike artistic relevance, which transcends the present and is not necessarily tied to widespread recognition, this form of relevance is rooted in the here and now. It is about touching people in the present, creating resonance, and reaching as many people as possible.

Historical and cultural relevance emerges when a work enters into dialogue with its own time, reflecting or shaping the cultural and social movements of a particular generation. It may capture the spirit of a historical moment or influence the artistic directions and perceptions that follow.

Finally, there is professional relevance, which concerns the way an artist or a body of work exists within a cultural - and commercial - ecosystem. It relates to contributing to artistic projects, ensembles, and institutions, as well as earning the respect of one’s peers. It also reflects how sought after and valued a professional becomes within the industry.

These are all different dimensions of relevance, and today I see them much more clearly than I once did. Part of this understanding comes directly from my own lifelong desire to become a truly relevant artist.

Throughout this essay, I’ll reflect on each of these dimensions, showing how they have appeared throughout my own journey, in the opportunities I’ve had, the achievements I’ve celebrated, and also the doubts and frustrations I’ve experienced as a composer and creative musician.

Relevance as Excellence, Originality, and Depth

For a long time, the idea of relevance was closely tied, in my mind, to technical excellence, creativity, and originality. Whenever I think about this, my thoughts immediately turn to figures such as J. S. Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart - artists who reached extraordinary levels of artistic achievement during their own lifetimes and whose music continues to be studied and performed centuries later.

More recently, in Brazil, I think of composers such as Heitor Villa-Lobos, Tom Jobim, and Hermeto Pascoal - artists who developed unique musical languages, expanded aesthetic possibilities, and left behind bodies of work that remain profound and transformative.

For many years, this was the kind of relevance I pursued. I believed that by reaching higher levels of originality, depth, and artistic excellence, recognition would naturally follow as a consequence, opening new opportunities along the way.

Perhaps you’ve felt something similar: the belief that artistic quality alone should be enough to generate recognition, impact, and space in the world.

But reality isn’t quite that simple.

The Relevance of Connecting with an Audience

Over time, I began to realize that there is another kind of relevance that can be just as powerful: the relevance that comes from genuine connection - from creating work that resonates deeply with other people.

It reminds me of a phrase often attributed to Milton Nascimento: “An artist needs to be where the people are.” Not only in a physical sense, but emotionally, culturally, and symbolically as well.

Very often, what resonates most deeply with audiences isn’t the most complex, innovative, or technically sophisticated work. More often, it’s what feels familiar, accessible, and immediately relatable.

Today, social media and algorithm-driven platforms amplify this dynamic even further. What generates immediate identification tends to circulate more widely, reach larger audiences, and become more visible. And this isn’t only about the music itself. It also depends on how that music is presented, both visually and contextually. As a result, another form of relevance emerges - one closely tied to visibility, reach, and media presence.

Recognition, Validation, and Real Impact

Relevance is also deeply connected to validation, especially from those we recognize as highly knowledgeable within our own field. In my case, that has often meant musicians I admire and respected professionals within the musical community, particularly those held in high regard by other musicians.

During a period of my life, when I moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies, I devoted a great deal of energy to competitions and to seeking recognition from established institutions. For several years, that became one of my primary professional goals.

As a young composer, I believed that institutional recognition was the key to advancing my career and opening new opportunities. I felt that I needed recognized “seals of approval” so that the people responsible for funding artistic projects - potential sponsors, concert presenters, festival curators, and orchestra directors - would trust my work and give me the resources to produce new music and present it on important stages.

During that period, I received awards from DownBeat Magazine as a composer, arranger, recording engineer, and music director. I was twice honored with ASCAP’s young jazz composer award, received the Carlos Gomes Medal in my hometown, and, at the age of twenty-seven, was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, possibly becoming one of the youngest composers ever nominated in that category.

And yes, within the professional community, these recognitions carry real weight. They represent important forms of artistic validation and are meaningful indicators of excellence.

But to what extent does that recognition actually place an artist in a position to build projects sustainably?

More directly: does recognition translate into tangible resources? Does it become financial support? And does that financial support ultimately translate into greater creative freedom and long-term career growth?

And beyond that, how much does this kind of relevance resonate with audiences outside specialized artistic circles?

When the Numbers Tell a Different Story

That gap becomes very clear when I look at my own social media channels. Whenever I share my original compositions - including award-winning works - the response is usually modest. Views remain relatively low, engagement is limited, and the audience tends to stay within a small circle of people already connected to contemporary music.

On the other hand, projects I’ve developed alongside highly popular artists often generate audiences that are dozens, or even hundreds, of times larger.

It’s a feeling many artists know well. The work into which we pour years of study, intention, and artistic depth often receives relatively little attention, while something more immediately accessible - or simply associated with well-known names - can achieve extraordinary visibility.

What does that tell us about today’s artistic landscape? About audiences? About the market? And about ourselves as creators?

Relevance, Audience, and Viability in the Real World

Today, one question has become central to the way I think about artistic work: within a market-driven environment, public interest - and, consequently, financial viability - plays a fundamental role in making artistic projects possible.

Producing music is not only about creating new works. It’s also about making sure those works can exist in tangible ways. Collaborating with other artists, working with high-quality infrastructure, and performing in theaters or concert halls all require financial investment. That investment depends on audience interest and on the perceived value of the project translating into financial return, allowing the work to become sustainable over time.

Shortly after completing my doctorate, I came to understand this very clearly. Despite the awards and institutional recognition I had received, when I began trying to present my own music in important venues, I encountered a very different reality. For concert presenters and venue owners, the prestige of an award often carried far less weight than an artist’s ability to attract an audience. That reality has a direct impact on what becomes artistically possible.

As difficult as this realization may be, it doesn’t diminish the value of excellence or originality. It simply reveals that artistic relevance and commercial viability are not the same thing. Thinking about how our work circulates - and how it can remain financially sustainable - is an essential part of the creative process itself, because without those conditions, the work may never fully exist in the world.

Admiration and Artistic Conviction

When I was in college, there were musicians I genuinely looked up to - leading figures in São Paulo’s instrumental music scene who were recording original albums and performing in cultural venues throughout the city. I admired their expressiveness, technical mastery, and creativity, and I was often frustrated that so few people outside the musical community knew who they were. It felt unfair that such remarkable artistry failed to receive broader recognition.

Looking back today, I see that reality with a much wider perspective, and I admire those musicians even more for having the courage to follow their own artistic paths while building sustainable careers within relatively small artistic communities. They created without surrendering to market pressures or algorithmic trends. Their music wasn’t standardized or designed for maximum consumption. They found ways to create work they genuinely believed in and to make that work exist.

Over time, that admiration became something more than appreciation. It became a model for my own career - a constant reminder that, even in a world increasingly driven by metrics and visibility, it is still possible to remain authentic, create with integrity, and build an artistic practice that stays faithful to one’s own convictions.

Cultural Capital and Market Capital

That admiration also reveals another fundamental aspect of artistic life: the tension between cultural capital and market capital.

Not all value can be measured in numbers. Cultural capital is built through artistic integrity, technical excellence, creativity, and innovation. It creates relevance within the artistic community, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into ticket sales or widespread popularity. Instead, it earns the respect of peers and strengthens relationships with artists and institutions that share similar aesthetic and artistic values.

At the same time, there are artists who achieve extraordinary commercial success without occupying the same level of prestige within artistic circles. This disconnect reveals an unavoidable tension: what the market rewards does not always coincide with what the artistic community recognizes as lasting value.

Between Artistic Choices and Possible Paths

Today, I try to pursue a path where different forms of relevance can coexist. I continue creating original, demanding, and artistically ambitious work, even knowing that it may never reach a broad audience. At the same time, I collaborate with artists who have strong popular appeal, bringing my work into spaces where it can connect with larger audiences.

Perhaps this is one of the defining challenges of being an artist today: not choosing between artistic depth and broad reach, but learning how to navigate between them. Not abandoning artistic ambition, while also refusing to ignore the realities of the world in which art exists.

Both paths are legitimate, and each creates relevance in its own way. One strengthens artistic excellence and originality. The other expands impact, visibility, and human connection.

So, What Does It Mean to Be Relevant Today?

In the end, perhaps the real question isn’t whether we should seek recognition from our peers or a broader audience, but how to balance these different forces throughout an artistic life.

To what extent do we want to reach as many people as possible, cultivating a form of social relevance grounded in audience connection, while at the same time resisting the temptation to become predictable, superficial, or shaped only by what people already expect?

To what extent can we sustain a personal artistic vision that is profound, challenging, and thought-provoking - the kind of artistic relevance that pushes boundaries, explores new possibilities, and, more often than not, won’t be immediately understood or embraced by everyone?

To what extent do we pursue financial stability, visibility, and professional recognition - forms of relevance that allow us to exist within a cultural ecosystem, but that can also bind us to market expectations, external demands, and commitments that gradually pull us away from the work we truly want to create?

And how do we balance all of that with the desire to leave something that outlives the present moment - a historical and cultural relevance that cannot be measured by likes, contracts, or ticket sales, but that continues to exist across time?

To be relevant, then, is to live among these tensions. It is to want to be heard without becoming submissive; to seek immediate impact without sacrificing depth; to pursue financial sustainability without exchanging our artistic voice for convenience; to create for the present while remaining attentive to what might endure.

For me, being relevant today means learning to navigate these tensions while remaining faithful to what drives my creative practice. It means making sure the music can fully exist in the world, fairly compensating the musicians and collaborators who help bring it to life, and building a career that allows me to live with dignity through my work.

Even so, relevance remains a moving target. It is paradoxical, contradictory, and unpredictable, and perhaps it can never be fully explained. Yet it is precisely within that tension - between aspiration, creation, audience, market, and legacy - that we find meaning, and where the life of an artist truly unfolds.

---

About the Author

Rafael Piccolotto de Lima is a composer, arranger, music director, and educator. A Latin Grammy-nominated composer and recipient of multiple international awards, including 13 DownBeat Awards and honors from ASCAP, he develops artistic projects that connect Brazilian music, jazz, orchestral writing, improvisation, recording production, research, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

→ Explore his artistic journey and projects

→ Discover courses, lessons, and resources on music creation