You are wrong!
Let me tell you, I often felt this way. I believed it was the end of the community but then deviants showed up and reanimated it. It wasn't completely fixed, but it was alive.
There are many things that you can do: (in no particular order
)1. Write a Journal about the issue.
Don't be afraid to write a Journal if you feel there is something wrong with the community, maybe there are others who feel the same way, they might have been afraid to say something. You can work together to reanimate it.
2. Deviations and Comments
The deviations are the part that brought you together as a community, it is something that you all have in common. So, create more deviations! Others might get inspired and start to create some more as well.
And don't wait until others write comments on your deviation, it is important in a community to communicate. The others might think the same way and wait until you write a comment on their work. In the end nobody will write comments and the community completely dies. Be the first who breaks the circle and try to inspire others by writing comments on their work.
Are there still members who try to reanimate the community by writing News Articles or Features? Write a Comment on their Journals and show them that you appreciate what they are doing. It feels incredible to see that others read your articles.
3. Projects
Another great way to reanimate the community is to create a Project. But it isn't enough to simply create a Project, you have to advertise it, don't wait until others find your project, you might have to wait your whole life for that. Does your community have your own community volunteer? Yes? Great! You can ask them politely if they could advertise your Project, I am sure they will happily advertise it in their next Journal, they might also create something for it!
Your community doesn't have a community volunteer? Not a problem. Ask others that are part of the community if they might be interested if they want to join and if they could advertise it, but it is important how you ask. ;D
Are there still open Projects in the community? You should definitely join those as well. It doesn't help if everybody creates projects and don't join any other projects.
4. Contests
Are there still active Contests in the community? Did they get any Entries? It is important in a community to help others in the community. Featuring their Contest in a Journal might reduce your chance to win the contest, but doesn't it feel better to win when more deviants entered the contest?
Is it really important what you can win? I don't think so! See it as a challenge to improve your skills and get inspired by the contest theme.
There aren't any contests in your community? Create your own! It applies the same as for the Projects: "But it isn't enough to simply create a Contest you have to advertise it, don't wait until others find your Contest you might have to wait your whole life for that. Does your community have your own community volunteer? Yes? Great! You can ask them politely if they could advertise your Contest I am sure they will happily advertise it in their next Journal, they might also create something for it!
Your community doesn't have a community volunteer? Not a problem. Ask others that are part of the community if they might be interested if they want to join and if they could advertise it, but it is important how you ask. ;D "
You can also ask them if they could donate some small things for it, such as a Journal Feature or a small art request.
5. Tutorials
This might be something for more experienced members of the community. But even if you don't have that much experience, there are others who have even less experience than you, so they can still learn something new.
6. Features
It already helps if you showcase the deviations of others (Art deviations, News Articles, Projects, Contests even other Feature Articles). Show your watchers what is going on within the community, show them that it is awesome to be a part of it. They might want to join it. And there will be always deviants who are part of the community but they don't watch everybody of it, this way they will see when others host a contest/project.
7. Newcomer
We all have been at that point, the point were we just joined the community. The first step to join a community is to create deviations for it. That is what we all have in common.
You are a member of the community for a long time now? Then you can make them feel welcomed by writing comments on their work. You can watch the newcomer and see how they improve as an Artist. You can also simply say "hey, welcome to our community, it is great to see a new face".
You are a newcomer and stumbled on this Article? You can also do many things for the Community, don't just simply wait until somebody discovers you. Watch other deviants that are part of the community and talk to them. There will be a point where they check out your work and might also watch you. Enter contests and Projects. Thank others if they featured you in a Journal.
And most importantly: Don't give up and keep creating Art.
