Spill Folk Academy, Day I (2/2)
Soon after the beginning of the first session, I intended to blog about my SFA experience – mainly about the inmportant points which were said in the two sessions – but that message was so strong that, even if we’ve been talking about specific matters or ideas to take the work forward (especially in the afternoon session), I couldn’t help thinking that it was all down to attitude, perception & culture towards our own craft. And once again, I couldn’t separate the fact that unless each of us accept we have a certain level of responsibility in this situation, we wouldn’t be able to go far with any changes we want to implement.
This belief became even more obvious when, in the second session, we were asked what we have got. We came up with some very good answers but too often, these valid answers, I felt, were undermined by this need of self-victimization. For a reason I just can’t understand, we seem to buy into a certain myth of the artist and its role in Society. Certainly, that was the case decades, even a century ago. But what about now? Are we really seen as a threat? Or a nuisance? Or as a waste of money? Or as lazy F****rs who can’t get a***d to get a “job” because we see ourselves as being above the rest? Or is it, instead, a convenient way to avoid a simple reality?
Hearing some of the constant issues being brought up – such as being instutionalized, presenting work-in-progress without being paid, being misunderstood by audiences, being against the rest of the Society – it prompted me to ask myself then, if we’re that much of a problem, how come, prior to this recession period, we’re in a (Funding) Golden Age? Also if we’re that much of a problem within our society how come we’ve still got people – punters even! – who made a great deal to come and see our work, let alone nowadays tweet about it??
The reality is establishing ourselves as potential artists is tough. Sustaining a living successfully is even tougher, especially now that funding is virtually non-existent. Money will always be a factor, a problem to juggle with. And, yes, we’ll always be facing stigmas about our value in Society. We all know that. But, does it mean we have to act like victims? Does it mean we have to portray ourselves as being vulnerable or the Society’s pet? Does it mean we have to accept the rules (which actually seem tnot exist in most cases I’ve heard today)? If we artists does it mean we can’t have our own code of conduct? And if the potential partner we’re approaching doesn’t want to pay us, does it mean we can’t say no? In other words, if we are professional artists why do we feel the need to avoid acting like one?
I’ve probably lost my line of thought along the way, as result of blogging after what was an intense but powerful brainstorming day, but this sense of responsibility associated to our identity kept coming to my mind throughout the day. And whether it was intentional or not, I have the strong feeling one of the main agendas behind Spill Folk Academy is to remind us, (live) artists, we are the change. If we have to fight to be valued, culturally & socially, then it has to come from us. If we have to protect ourselves with a support system, then it has to come from us. And so if we have to a strong individuality, we should confidently use it to move forward.
