The phrase “universal appeal” is misleading. While it’s true there are subjects most people can relate to, nothing appeals to every single potential audience member. So why do so many creatives say our work is for “everybody”?

Deciding on an audience can be as important as deciding on an art style. Knowing who we are making our creative work for brings focus to the work itself, and can help build that one-on-one relationship between artist and audience member.

It seems counter-intuitive to say that universal appeal limits the possibilities of art, but in removing specifics about our audiences, we also have to erase a lot of the specifics that come when we pull away from the least common denominator.

It can be a scary endeavor when choosing an audience, because narrowing the scope of our work seems like there’s a higher chance in getting it wrong, but the opposite is true. “Everyone” is such a broad demographic that one slip from universal appeal may mean that there’s no appeal at all.

How does an artist choose an audience? The same way that we choose our material. Who would be in an audience we’d like to sit down and have a chat with? Who are the people we’ve been able to connect with in conversations that surround art? Who are with us when we are in an audience appreciating work?

If nothing else, we ca always choose an audience of one, beginning with ourselves. No creative person is without artistic interest or influence, so why not create things that appeal to ourselves, first and foremost?

Finally, “everyone” is just too large to work towards. By including every possibility, it opens up the potential to be hamstrung by too many choices. Sometimes, it’s easier to be creative when dancing a waltz than a freestyle. Let your audience be the first choice you make, and eventually, your work may be the first choice of an audience.