Today sees the launch of Exhibition Payment: the a-n/AIR Paying Artists Guide, at Jerwood Space, London. The culmination of over two years of research and consultation, the publication provides a set of guidelines for paying artists for their contribution to publicly-funded exhibitions.
Taking place from 5-7pm, the launch event will include a speech from artist Jane Wilson. A senior tutor of moving image at the Royal College of Art and board member of DACS, Wilson will talk about why Paying Artists matters, drawing on personal experience of working collaboratively with her sister Louise over the last 20 years.
There will also be speeches from a-n chair Jayne Knight, a-n executive director Jeanie Scott, Jerwood Charitable Foundation director Shonagh Manson, and AIR Council’s Joseph Young.
During the event, artist Dan Thompson will perform an artist-led manifesto version of the guidelines which acknowledges the different economies artist-led organisations operate in.
The Paying Artists’ Artist-Led Manifesto will be performed simultaneously across the UK at 5.30pm. Those performing include: artists Nazma Botanica and Anja Stenina at Sew in Swansea, Anna Francis at Airspace in Stoke-on-Trent, Richard Taylor at Telfer Gallery in Glasgow, plus additional performances by Charlie Tolfree and Heather Tait at STANartpod in Margate, and Lester Drake at East Street Arts in Leeds.
a-n – which represents 20,000 visual artist members – and its artists’ advisory group, AIR, has spent more than two years working and consulting with artists, major public funders and visual arts organisations, to come up with a set of suggested payments to cover a wide range of exhibition scenarios and guidance for implementation.
Jeanie Scott, executive director of a-n, said: “At a time when the annual income for the vast majority of visual artists is lower than the national living wage, it’s critical that a-n actively pursues solutions for non- or low-payment for our members.
“But this guidance is about more than just ensuring artists are fairly paid. It’s about recognising the significant contribution they make to our material lives, and to the broad economic success the sector enjoys.
“Artists are the essential component: if we don’t invest in them individually, we’ll be in danger of losing the diversity, invention and vigor the visual arts are known for.”
The Exhibition Payment guide launch event takes place at Jerwood Space, London, Wednesday 12 October, 5-7pm. www.payingartists.org.uk
Follow #PayingArtists on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for live coverage of the event
Images:
1. Paying Artists relay race, Bristol, 2015
2. Dan Thompson’s text and design for the Paying Artists’ Artist-Led Manifesto
More on a-n.co.uk:
Paying Artists campaign: a journey from consultation to guidance
A Q&A with… Guerrilla Girls, feminist artists
Turner Prize 2016 exhibition: verve, energy and plenty of earthy humour
