SOTA OPEN MEETING #01:
Setting The Agenda
What common (political) agenda could/should we as a community of artists and cultural workers defend together this year?
Zoom in with us on Monday 17 Januari (19u-21u)!
ZOOMLINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104167386?pwd=R1V0cWtXSmUzQkJIRFo3eW1hRzJVdz09
Meeting ID: 841 0416 7386
Passcode: 084696
Many of us were present on that last Sunday of 2021. The speed with which the sector mobilised was impressive. The equally swift reaction of politicians, who after all the protests suddenly wanted nothing more to do with their own decision, was embarrassing. And how this decision was swept off the table by the Council of State a little later, was a fine example of democracy.
Even though campaigning runs in our blood… aren’t there ways for us to be ahead of politics? Can we turn the tables and decide for ourselves what our agenda should be? And then proactively put our ideas and visions on the political agenda from supported multi-vocal positions?
We think we can. Together with you.
On the eve of Lattitude, our one-year residency in Monty in Antwerp, we invite everyone to think about our horizon for 2022-2024. Which common (political) agenda can/should we, as a community of artists and cultural workers, defend together?
This would be our proposal:
- Fair Practice
Everyone is talking about it, but how do we ensure that Fair Practice becomes a real practice and not an empty ticking box? What are our minimum requirements beyond Fair Pay? How do we ensure that structurally subsidised arts organisations actually implement their promises?
- Cultural policy
What three wishes would you have for a better cultural policy, even in times of Corona? What should we, as artists, defend towards our Minister of Culture? Can we also imagine one central cultural policy for Belgium? And would that possibly bring us closer together?
- Self-organisation
How can we better organise ourselves as artists and cultural workers? How can we combine our diversity into a collective voice, in which our plurality can still be heard? And how can we ensure that the ‘we’ also becomes a real ‘us’, in a broad and inclusive platform? Time for a thorough rethinking of the concept of representation in the field.
- What else?
What can we just do already among ourselves, without having to ask permission from politics? What is on our minds that no one ever thinks of? Out of the box, into the big hat!
Feel free to send us your (other) ideas in advance by emailing to: movement@state-of-the-arts.net!