Image: Edwin Wurm, Fat House
Lose weight
I must find a way of coping with cuts to state arts funding. With the cuts focused on the small to medium arts organisations, starving must be the answer – yep just eat less. Why didn’t I think of it myself? The government has to put money into the important things like mining and freeways and car manufacturing. Oh wait a minute, Holden’s subsidy was cut too. So I guess we’re in good company. But why am I being acquiescent? Instead I must lobby for new research to inform a better understanding by governments of the value delivered by investment in the arts and encourage them to double the current allocation to match that of New Zealand (as a % of GDP).
Get fit
Must do more arts exercises. This year I must do some forensic research to find the true story on what’s causing the art market downturn and reveal the real statistics on resale royalty so it can’t be used as the excuse to get galleries & auction houses off the hook in passing on to artists a small royalty when their work is resold in the secondary market. The rest of the world is picking up on this one with China and the US and possibly Canada looking at joining the UK and Europe in introducing a resale royalty for artists. Australia would look pretty pathetic to be reversing in the opposite direction.
Learn a new language
Chinese would be fun but more importantly, I must refine my communication skill to effectively liaise with the Coalition Government in their terms about the value delivered by the arts. I am trying to interpret the recent statements by the new Arts Minister about ‘excellence’, ‘integrity’, ‘artistic freedom’, ‘self confidence’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘accessibility’. I must listen hard and try to provide the best advice on how to turn these words into a practical arts policy. As a start, I hope the Minister takes an interest in the National Visual Arts Agenda document NAVA sent him just before Christmas. It has some really practical ideas that fit very well with his six key principles: https://www.visualarts.net.au/newsdesk/2013/12/navas-national-visual-arts-agenda
Try harder not to be envious
If a gallery is to put on exhibitions, of course I understand it has to pay for the premises and lighting and security services and transporting and hanging the works and the publicists and educators and all the rest of it. But why aren’t all artists paid at least the industry standard fee to acknowledge the value they are providing to the community? Why should artists just be flattered that they are getting a show? It’s not OK for artists to be last in line for payment.
Watch less rubbish TV
Instead of taking refuge from the rigours of the day in being a couch jockey and blanking out, I must work to get the ABC to recognise the arts as an important element in the national conversation by including an arts story in every news bulletin. Then I’ll feel better about my TV habit.
Take a course in life drawing
Not sure I can afford it! Cuts to the funding of TAFEs & Unis are closing down the options for making art and choosing the arts as a career. I wouldn’t just be doing it for pleasure or personal expression. I know it would encourage me to be more innovative in my day job and to communicate better. I need to influence governments to recognise that R & D is just as important an area of investment in the arts as it is in the sciences and technology.
Be nicer to people
I won’t get irritated by artists bagging arts organisations that work hard to make their professional lives more viable. It would be good if the arts could learn the power of unity but I understand only too well how hard it is for artists to find the means to be able to sustain their art practice and manage their careers. For most of them, a government grant is a rare occurrence. In fact I once worked out that each artist could expect to get one Australia Council grant every 100 years. We who work in these structures understand the value to artists and the community of organisations that enable artists to hone their skills, reach audiences, find buyers, expand their experience, develop and realise projects, pitch for commissions, publish their views and read those of others. It’s important for both artists and policy makers to get a more general appreciation of the magnification factor provided by arts organisations.
Be more patient
Oh dear, it is very enervating to have to keep revisiting the same old propositions (just when you thought you were safe from the residue of the C19th) that artists have to starve to make good art or that they should either find their market or give up. I must take a deep breath and keep up my belief that I can help make a difference for Australian art and artists and that there are lots of other people just like me. 2014 here we come.
