Should Cardistry Stay Niche?

Everyone likes to feel unique.

Whether you’re into an unknown band or stand by a particularly unpopular opinion, it feels good to separate yourself from the crowd. Over time those personal identifiers embed themselves further and deeper into who you are.

But when that band starts to gain national recognition or that opinion moves its way into the mainstream, it can hurt.

It feels like you are losing a part of yourself.

The same goes for cardistry, a highly niche community that has only glimpsed mainstream popularity from movies like Now You See Me and viral YouTube videos such as Liquid Paper by The Virts. Understandably, some prefer it to stay this way – undiscovered and underground.

But I don’t believe that’s best for the art form.

Cardistry has the unique ability to break down national boundaries and bypass language barriers with a standard household item. It has brought people together from across the world and fueled creativity in kids and adults alike.

But this only happens when we actively participate.

Some see cardistry as naturally niche, which, given the high skill requirement, is true. The issue comes when people accept this as the case, and refuse to make any effort to build the community. Early on, entire DVDs filled with tutorials, behind-the-scenes clips, and bonus performances were produced to push the art forward. The reason cardistry, and the identity it gives us, even exists today is because of the dedication from these pioneers and early adopters.

Without this kind of effort, the high learning curve of cardistry will let more people out of the community than in.  

So while the preservation of culture and quality in the community are strong arguments for remaining niche, without sustained efforts cardistry could slowly descend from niche to nonexistent.

The good news is that we are more connected than ever, with Instagram providing one of the best platforms for cardistry yet with the ability to quickly share videos and message cardists directly.

So keep engaging, and keep creating. More people deserve to experience this incredible art form and community.

— Conor