We recently connected with Elisha Belden and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The Walk of Arts/Twistid Arts Initiative is probably the most meaningful project I’ve worked on in recent years. We live in a small, rural community in Central Florida. Our area doesn’t have much access to professional visual or performing arts, and it’s very difficult for young artists or performers to really get a good start in the arts industry as the arts departments in the schools are underfunded and overlooked. Our tattoo studio, Twistid Ink, began working with the local high school drama department, helping with their set designs, costumes, and more. When word got out that we were doing this, we began getting calls and emails from local parents thanking us for offering assistance to the young arts community. As we continued working with these groups, we kept hearing them say that there wasn’t enough for THEM in the community. If you didn’t play sports, there were no activities or events that you could participate in.

We decided to host an event that would allow the arts community of Citrus County to shine. We launched the Walk of Arts in 2022. The event was an all-inclusive arts and music festival. We brought in professional local, regional, and national acts that mingled with the youth and gave them tips and advice in between performances. We had local dance troupes set up, as well as hosting spaces for the local school’s performing and visual arts departments where they could raise funds for their departments. We also hosted a sidewalk chalk competition for kids 5-18 and brought in TV celebrity artists to help judge alongside two local award-winning judges. The artists also interacted with the youth, giving them tips/tricks/stories about working as professional artists. The competition winners were given over $4200 in professional art supplies.

The first event’s success led us to form the Twistid Arts Initiative, which is aimed at bringing not only the Walk of Arts back again in 2023 but other immersive performing and visual arts events.

Hearing the community’s response to the project has been amazing – and makes this perhaps one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on in recent years.

Elisha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am the co-owner of Twistid Ink and handle the business end of the studio as well as all scheduling, communication, marketing, and aftercare. Twistid Ink works with several non-profit organizations to help cover sex trafficking scars, brands, and tattoos and to cover surgery scarring from mastectomies, etc. I am also a published author, a certified book editor, and a freelance business consultant/coach. Recently, I spearheaded the launch of the Twistid Arts Initiative – a nonprofit organization designed to bring exposure and access to the visual and performing arts to the community of Citrus County and Central Florida.

I have worked in the performing arts industry in some format for over 20 years. In 2022, I began judging at the International Thespian Society Festivals for technical theater categories at both district and state levels. I also recently accepted a position on the board of directors for Emotions Dance in Maitland, Florida. Emotions Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2007 and consists of a professional contemporary dance company that focuses on social and environmental awareness through the art of dance, dance education training, and programs that enrich the local community.

Previously I worked as a writer for the popular lifestyle website Tattoo.com and covered topics from new cultural trends in the industry to tattoo aftercare tips and practices. I covered the subject of tattoo history for both Tattoo.com and the local newspaper and was also featured in a documentary on Captain James Cook and his contribution to the tattoo culture. I have worked with Tattoo.com, TattooAwards.com, and TattooCare.com as a content writer and worked as the Director of Marketing for Saniderm for almost five years. Currently, I’m the manager of Saniderm’s international ProTeam of artists, working with the best and biggest names in the tattoo industry.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My biggest focus is to get equal awareness for the creative industries and dispel the “starving artist” narrative. I don’t work in just one area of the creative industry. I work with dancers, artists, actors, musicians, and more. I have my hands in everything. I try to be the go-between for organizations and creatives with agencies, venues, media, and government offices and to help artists/organizations with their marketing and polishing of their materials.

As Julian Burnside says, “Without the law, you can’t have society. But without the arts, you can’t have civilization.” I fully believe in this, and will continue to support and fight for the arts as best I can through any medium I can.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

In today’s society, there is no excuse not to support artists and creatives! Social media has made it easy and free to support the industry. By simply sharing events, performances, and products/services online, you can really help to make a difference. Of course, the best support comes from showing up for this industry – attending performances, purchasing artwork, and more- but if you’re unable to do that, simply sharing their work with your friends, family, and followers goes a long way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twistidartsinitiative.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twistidartsinitiative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twistidartsinitiative
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/elishabelden
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/TwistidInk https://www.instagram.com/twistid_ink/ https://www.twistidink.com/