A series of actions and events raising awareness of the Paying Artists campaign have taken place across the UK over the May bank holiday weekend.
The eleven Regional Advocates were busy engaging the public, local politicians and the arts community in Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff and Liverpool.
Highlights included a hustings event at Glasgow Sculpture Studios. Co-organised by advocates Janie Nicoll and Elizabeth Wewiora, along with the Scottish Artists Union, it was attended by representatives from various political parties.
This included: Moira Crawford (Green Party), Chris Young (Liberal Democrats), Gordon McCaskill (Conservative), Claire Baker (Scottish Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for culture in the Scottish Parliament) and David MacDonald (Scottish National Party).
The session was chaired by Jim Tough (executive director of the Saltire Society) and speakers included Kyla McDonald (artistic director, Glasgow Sculpture Studios), Sukaina Kubba (Glasgow School of Art) and Emma Flynn (SAU).
Social media coverage resulted in the tag #PayingArtists entering Twitter’s UK Top 10 trending topics. There was much heated debate, particularly in relation to McCaskill’s comments on artists’ fees. Some audience members accused the Tory candidate for Glasgow South West of having a lack of understanding about the arts, while he claimed the other members of the panel demonstrated a lack of political leadership.
Elsewhere, a relay race took place around Bristol’s arts organisations with competitors wearing #PayingArtists t-shirts designed by Libita Clayton. There was also a baton and finishing line banner specially designed by theatre designer Kelly Jago.
In Birmingham, there were opportunities to sign up to the campaign and free badges were handed out at Digbeth First Friday.
This week also sees posters embedding Paying Artists in a wider social context appearing around Cardiff. A collaboration between artists and Regional Advocates S Mark Gubb and Sean Edwards, the poster is the result of research and discussions the pair are undertaking. It will also be available to download from the Paying Artists website.
If you’d like to get involved in the Paying Artists campaign in your area contact [email protected]
For more information on the Paying Artists Regional Advocates visit www.payingartists.org.uk
Follow the Regional Advocates on Twitter: @ruthclaxton @libitaclayton @BenAnOwen @smarkgubb @seanjedwards @janienicoll@ewewiora @HannahBitowski @FlisMitchell @sculptureartman
Coverage of the Glasgow hustings event on BBC Radio
