Building Bonds, Not Brands...

Photo by Kalpana Metayer | Performance at Le Mandapa, Paris 2025

While the world wages wars over absurdities and the very fabric of humanity seems to unravel, artists find ourselves in an especially precarious position. Funding is disappearing. Prioritization of the arts is vanishing. And yet, this is exactly why it’s more vital than ever to build real communities and forge relationships rooted in mutual investment. Not transactional, not trend-based, but soul-based. It’s not always about growing a massive following or client base, it’s about creating a tight-knit circle that shows up for you through the thick and thin.

As I near the end of my Europe tour, I’m seeing the same pattern across borders. The world seems to cling to hurt and division. Systems fail us, and institutions overlook us. But in these very moments, we see clearly who and what truly sustains us: the communities that believe in us, that show up with presence and heart. That investment, ours in them and theirs in us is what carries us through.

We must remember, though: real connection is not something we build with the expectation of return. Relationships are not PR strategies. They are sacred spaces of trust, service, and shared purpose.

As artists, we are here to bring joy, but not always the sugar-coated kind. Joy often begins with discomfort, the discomfort of detoxing from our own poisons, illusions, and ego. I tell my students often: if something feels like instant pleasure, be wary. Truthful joy is earned, slow, and sustaining.

It’s also okay to walk away from projects that no longer nourish you. You cannot serve others on an empty stomach. This is a time to develop strong financial habits, not just for survival, but for sovereignty. We often pour everything we have into our projects, help others without hesitation, and forget to save for ourselves. But sustainability is not selfishness, it’s wisdom.

Yes, artists have historically thrived under patronage. But we can’t just stay in our rooms perfecting our craft and waiting for patrons to arrive. The system is no longer built for us, and maybe it never was. These challenges are our teachers urging us to become financially literate, emotionally resilient, and self-reliant.

As I tour globally, my mission is simple: to build a real, honest, international Kuchipudi community. No matter where we live, our struggles are shared. We're all navigating a world where artists must become entrepreneurs because bold patrons are few and far between. And trends move faster than truth.

So let us focus not on being trendy, but on being timeless. Let us create work so unique and rooted that it cannot be replicated. Let us build communities that stay not because we’re popular, but because they believe in our humanity.

With strength, with love,

Yamini

From my performance in Nuremberg, Germany 2025 (St. Martha's Church)