Concerns of solidarity

Work conference #01 – Solidarity: how do we work together?

The arts make a rich habitat. The exchanges and collaborations between artists, commissionaires, subsidizers, policy makers, curators, production teams, institutions, mediators and the public bring into play an impressive variety of art and cultural experience.

Today, however, these work processes are under increasing pressure. On the one hand there’s the decline of public funding, while on the other hand the pressure to perform is increasing and the flexibilization of work relations force many art workers into increasingly precarious employment conditions. This results in a rapid rise of inequality and causes a threat to the diversity in the arts. Many studies at home and abroad indicate the urgency of solutions.

Under these circumstances, how can fair relations between all the involved parties within and outside the arts be guaranteed? As we are no doubt part of the problem ourselves, we play a substantial part in finding solutions.

We kindly invite you to this first work conference. In eight work tables – all representing some of the best practices concerning solidarity in the arts sector – we will explore the possibilities for more solidarity when it comes to time, space and resources. Various art disciplines will be dealt with. And exchanges on different levels get attention: between artists and organizations, between artists, between organizations – all in relation to the government, the profit and non-profit sectors.

With the inspiring input from the Netherlands and the UK, we explore how common actions can lead to effective changes.

The following questions will set the tables:
How do we take care of the flex workers in our sector? How do we guarantee the remuneration and the accrual of social rights for all artists and art workers? How do organizations (small and large) face up to the growing demand for co-responsibility and solidarity with the more vulnerable players? How do we guarantee a fair distribution of resources and the access to (cultural) infrastructure?  How can we on the long term assure a fair distribution of revenues in the sector? What kind of agreements would underlie this? How would they be implemented and fulfilled? And last but not least: what is fair when the available means are not sufficient?