Undermining the Artists' Industry

I hope this doesn't turn into a rant. But, there is no way around this. I wish civic groups would quit asking artists to do things without financial compensation! God, how it lowers the industry of the Arts and works diametrically opposed to artists earning a living. If artists weren't so desperate to do their art forms and would act in concert with each other under some kind of alliance and business standard, they wouldn't allow themselves to be abused and financially swindled.

Come on people! art in public areas needs to be funded and real artists paid. There needs to be standards; there needs to be a sense of professionalism. Banners, transformer boxes, contests, parking awnings, billboards, all the solicitations that are being made by Art Commissions and civic groups to "convince" artists that they are receiving an equitable exchange: A wolf in sheep's clothing! It is nothing more than giving something away for free which should be paid. Sometimes the results are only example's of "self expression" and certainly NOT skilled artwork!

And what happens to the INDUSTRY of the Artist?! It is in fact buried and becoming non existent. Remember that old saying "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" (my Mom used to use that one for discussing gender relations and the appropriate behavior needed to secure a marriage). Guess what? it has just as much relevance when trying to earn a living as an artist!

It would be a different story if artists weren't scrambling for $$$ and doing free work to start. Why don't these groups go ask architects or engineers or skilled paid labor or art students to do these things? Why are they expecting REAL artists to do something that undermines the word ARTIST? There are appropriate places to ask for free work, but not to the Artist who already must give everything before compensation.

Appealing to artists innate insecurities in society - is terribly without ethics.
And further undermining them as an industry is even worse.