This blog carries on where Getting Paid left off. Since I started writing that blog two years ago a lot has changed, and happily, I’m now getting paid, well, a bit at least. Getting Organised will be less about my personal journey and more about looking at artists as a group and how artists are advocating better working conditions and organising themselves to effect change. Hopefully by highlighting the good stuff, it might become apparent what kinds of events or actions could act as great models and be replicated by other artists. In the tradition of Getting Paid, I guess some criticism of poor opportunities may occur from time to time. Hopefully though, I will be able to see these things less as a malicious attack on artists, and perhaps the result of misunderstanding or a lack of thought and planning. I’ll try anyway (no promises).
I’m taking as my starting point that education systems and the way the art world appears from the outside often encourage individualism and aggression between artists. Because of this I think there exists a kind of false consciousness, so that many artists don’t know they’re doing wrong by accepting unpaid work, for example. It seems there are several areas of the arts where people make a good living from artists (and often their naivety). I think a lack of transparency and the isolation of many artists only serves to their advantage. So, the more talking and sharing we artists do; the better. This blog is my attempt to do my bit.
Another reason to move on from ‘Getting Paid’ is the Sea change that’s happened since the last election. One positive thing (?) that’s come from the austerity measures imposed by the new government is the resistance and collective action. Funding cuts have also highlighted the precarious future of many arts organisations and has perhaps led people to think more carefully about how they are being treated and paid. More of that please.
