Are artists responsible to be the agents of change?
Answers
Artists are their own agents of change
In order for artists to start 'shaping the world' they need to 'effect change' closer to home, says AIR's Jack Hutchinson
Jack Hutchinson
Thu 9 Feb 2012 10.36 EST
Two of the most important events in the visual arts calendar take place this week. Arts Council England's State of the Arts, aimed at senior arts professionals, heads to the Lowry in Salford on Tuesday. But before SOTA comes a counterpoint in the form of OpenAIR at Colchester's Firstsite, aimed at visual artists, in particular the 17,000 strong membership of AIR: Artists Interaction and Representation. While State of the Arts has adopted the theme of 'artists shaping the world', OpenAIR asks participants: how can artists effect change?
The past 12 months have seen many people attempt to effect change by taking to the streets to get their message across. Last year I attended the TUC organised March for the Alternative in London. Overall around 250,000 people marched in unity against the government's cuts to the public sector. AIR was there to campaign for access to art education – something that has taken a massive hit, having a direct impact on current and future generations of artists.
A lot of work went into organising the march and although it was a fantastic day out for our members, a year on I'm not entirely sure we achieved a great deal. At the time I remember feeling deflated, as though the months of planning, meetings and liaising with other art activist groups had been for nothing. There was a moment – just as we passed the House of Lords – when I turned to a fellow artist and said: "All this energy, all this protest, and who's listening?"
So what is the alternative? In the past year, AIR has made massive inroads into getting artists on to key boards and decision making committees. This includes alliances formed on behalf of artists with the Scottish Artists Union, DACS, Axis, the Turning Point Network and Artquest, the European Council of Artists, the International Association of Arts and CARFAC.
No matter who you are talking to, the crucial thing is having a clear message to communicate. What I learned from March for the Alternative was there needs to be something tangible that other people can get hold of. I have worked with a number of campaign groups and activist bodies and one of the finest examples is the Manifesto Club, set up by Manick Govinda, Josie Appleton and Valerie Hartwich. Their campaigns have included the Campaign against Vetting, the Campaign Against the Hyperregulation of Public Space and the Campaign against UK Home Office Restrictions on Visiting Artists and Academics.
These campaigns have clear strategies and objectives that make it easy both for Manifesto Club's members and the wider public to understand and see how outcomes could impact on a personal level. They also address issues that often seem quite petty, yet sure as hell annoy a lot of people.
In terms of the visiting artists campaign, the Manifesto Club recently presented a dossier of cases to Downing Street, along with a petition signed by over 10,000 people, including prominent figures such as the sculptor Antony Gormley and the director of the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner. The news was covered in the media, resulting in a critical mass that proved difficult to ignore.
Artists are often seen as a solitary breed, cut off from wider society. We could harp on about how rough we're having it, but let's face it, so is everyone else. We may have been hit harder than some, with artists facing cuts in multiple strands of their portfolio careers, but now is not the time to try and gather sympathy.
When artists talk about 'shaping the world', they need to decide not just what it means for them but also for everyone else. To my mind, this means a fundamental change in the perceived value of artists to society. Many artists I know apply their creative skills to portfolio careers that involve jobs in the NHS, police force, heritage, media and education. In one case, even the government itself. They are certainly not just sitting around in their studios, painting pretty pictures and stroking their berets. They are performing important roles that enhance the health and wellbeing of our society.
However, this change in perception needs to come from within the sector itself. How can wider society raise the value of artists if the arts sector continues to devalue them? Too many artists I know continue to be exploited by the very people who should have their backs. Here are some examples: late payments, unpaid internships, copyright infringements, unlawful evictions, failure to comply with the basic terms and conditions of a contract – the list is pretty expansive. How many artists out there have encountered at least one of these?
this is a short ans .....
Jack Hutchinson
Thu 9 Feb 2012 10.36 EST
Two of the most important events in the visual arts calendar take place this week. Arts Council England's State of the Arts, aimed at senior arts professionals, heads to the Lowry in Salford on Tuesday. But before SOTA comes a counterpoint in the form of OpenAIR at Colchester's Firstsite, aimed at visual artists, in particular the 17,000 strong membership of AIR: Artists Interaction and Representation. While State of the Arts has adopted the theme of 'artists shaping the world', OpenAIR asks participants: how can artists effect change?
The past 12 months have seen many people attempt to effect change by taking to the streets to get their message across. Last year I attended the TUC organised March for the Alternative in London. Overall around 250,000 people marched in unity against the government's cuts to the public sector. AIR was there to campaign for access to art education – something that has taken a massive hit, having a direct impact on current and future generations of artists.
A lot of work went into organising the march and although it was a fantastic day out for our members, a year on I'm not entirely sure we achieved a great deal. At the time I remember feeling deflated, as though the months of planning, meetings and liaising with other art activist groups had been for nothing. There was a moment – just as we passed the House of Lords – when I turned to a fellow artist and said: "All this energy, all this protest, and who's listening?"
So what is the alternative? In the past year, AIR has made massive inroads into getting artists on to key boards and decision making committees. This includes alliances formed on behalf of artists with the Scottish Artists Union, DACS, Axis, the Turning Point Network and Artquest, the European Council of Artists, the International Association of Arts and CARFAC.
No matter who you are talking to, the crucial thing is having a clear message to communicate. What I learned from March for the Alternative was there needs to be something tangible that other people can get hold of. I have worked with a number of campaign groups and activist bodies and one of the finest examples is the Manifesto Club, set up by Manick Govinda, Josie Appleton and Valerie Hartwich. Their campaigns have included the Campaign against Vetting, the Campaign Against the Hyperregulation of Public Space and the Campaign against UK Home Office Restrictions on Visiting Artists and Academics.
These campaigns have clear strategies and objectives that make it easy both for Manifesto Club's members and the wider public to understand and see how outcomes could impact on a personal level. They also address issues that often seem quite petty, yet sure as hell annoy a lot of people.
In terms of the visiting artists campaign, the Manifesto Club recently presented a dossier of cases to Downing Street, along with a petition signed by over 10,000 people, including prominent figures such as the sculptor Antony Gormley and the director of the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner. The news was covered in the media, resulting in a critical mass that proved difficult to ignore.
Artists are often seen as a solitary breed, cut off from wider society. We could harp on about how rough we're having it, but let's face it, so is everyone else. We may have been hit harder than some, with artists facing cuts in multiple strands of their portfolio careers, but now is not the time to try and gather sympathy.
When artists talk about 'shaping the world', they need to decide not just what it means for them but also for everyone else. To my mind, this means a fundamental change in the perceived value of artists to society. Many artists I know apply their creative skills to portfolio careers that involve jobs in the NHS, police force, heritage, media and education. In one case, even the government itself. They are certainly not just sitting around in their studios, painting pretty pictures and stroking their berets. They are performing important roles that enhance the health and wellbeing of our society.
However, this change in perception needs to come from within the sector itself. How can wider society raise the value of artists if the arts sector continues to devalue them? Too many artists I know continue to be exploited by the very people who should have their backs. Here are some examples: late payments, unpaid internships, copyright infringements, unlawful evictions, failure to comply with the basic terms and conditions of a contract – the list is pretty expansive. How many artists out there have encountered at least one of these?
this is a short ans .....