Being professionally involved in the arts for over 25 years as an artist and as an arts administrator I’ve noticed a common refrain, “Why aren’t we better organized?”. The feeling is that if we were, we’d have more clout with policy makers and an increased awareness in the general population.
My opinion on this is: Hogwash!
We look at groups that are very well organized and that speak with one voice such as teachers, nurses, business councils, trade unions, civic employees and wonder if this is something that would work for artists.
People in these groups may disagree with me, but when they speak, Government listens, the public listens and action is usually taken.
What they all have in common is, a unified voice, well-paid jobs (yes, they are, compared to artists), large numbers and most of all, they represent a significant amount of dollars in the economy and they let everybody know that.
Has this ever happened with artists? Have we (all artists) ever been organized? NO!
The most we’ve been organized is when arts organizations like arts councils or alliances of arts organizations try to form groups and create campaigns to unite with a common voice. Who joins in on these? A handful of artists and people who work for arts organizations.
This would all be fine except that it is not seen as being significant. The fact that many of the organizations that take part in these campaigns represent hundreds or even thousands of members goes completely unnoticed. It ends up looking like a few whining organizations are complaining and it’s a blip in the media and in the eyes of Government.
What would it take to go from being a blip to being spark that ignites action? Two options to consider:
1. The Public
The public will only react if it hurts them in carrying out their daily lives. When the teachers are on strike, parents have to find ways of looking after their kids. When nurses are on strike, health care suffers. When the garbage isn’t picked up, lots of people suffer. In other words, the impact of their actions is noticed and draws passion from the public (which gets well reported in the media because it’s entertainment and it sells advertising).
If artists went on strike, very few people would notice or care. In other words, this is not an effective way to advocate.
I think it’s naive to think that artists will ever unite. The very nature of their work is not inclined to this approach, not to mention the various disciplines they are in. I think we are dreaming to think this will ever happen.
2. The Government
Government will only react if it hurts them where it counts: at the ballot box. The problem is, even if artists could unite—more on that later—the numbers are still low. We can’t really talk about the whole “cultural sector” here because people employed in industries such as movies, are well-paid and have no interest and see no need to rise up and be heard.
We’re left with ad hoc groups, individual artists, arts organizations (volunteer and paid) and the members of these organizations. Members of arts organizations could include artists or members of the public in organizations such as a local concert society, gallery or community theatre society.
When you start adding all those people up, you now have significant numbers and a very broad reach geographically. You now have enough people who would have a significant voice that would be heard by Government.
The hard part is motivating those people to take action so their voices will be heard. I’ll use an example of a provincial organization I know something about, the BC Touring Council. Ideally, the BCTC expects when it speaks for its members and all the members of its members (the patrons of the hundreds of performances that take place every year) that they are representing tens of thousands of people who participate and benefit from the arts that are presented in BC.
The diagram shows how when you get down a few levels, the number of people increases significantly (I’m only showing a representation of them – in fact there are probably tens of thousands of people).
The problem is, this is not what the Government hears. The message they hear is: “Here’s an organization with a few hundred members clamoring for more money for the arts.” What’s a few hundred voters spread out over the province?
The people the government needs to hear from are those down the line. It needs to hear from the people who are members of the sub-organizations. If their voices were heard, you’d truly have a significant impact because those voices vote.
How do you this? The smaller organizations in communities all over BC need to take the lead and motivate their members and patrons to take action. A gallery attendee in Terrace is not going to be motivated to do anything by messages sent from provincial organizations. They will take action because a human being in the gallery itself talked to them and inspired them to take action.
Every arts organization, artist or enthusiastic arts participant in every community in BC needs to start motivating others at that level to do something such as call their MLA, write to the local paper, talk to the mayor, talk to the local chamber of commerce.
I truly believe that the initiative has to come from this grass-roots level. It’s why I support the idea of ArtsAdvocacyBC.
Yes, we desperately need our larger arts organizations to be taking a lead on this as they have been, but somehow, the message of action from them needs to get filtered down to the level where there will be real impact: individual voters.
Reality Check
Is any of this possible? Truthfully, I don’t think so, but it’s worth trying.
Yes it is possible to do this at the grass roots level.
I look at what la Senora Marta Sahagún, the wife of former President Vicente Fox of Mexico, did in organizing, millions, and I mean millions of Mexican “mamacitas” into a movement that became “Amigas/Amigas” de FOX.
Marta got all over her “amigas” to get their “amigas”, and so on and so on to support FOX and get out and vote.
They spread the word and they voted! Vicente Fox became the first democratically elected President of Mexico in 2000.
I agree grass roots is the way to go – may be a start is with the Vancouver Schools Music Programs – especially the after school ones that the “mamacitas” of Vancouver count on for their kids to participate in, until they, the MOMS get home from work.
Just a thought and, John – brilliant post – to get the dialogue going.
I’m in agreement with much of what you’re saying, John, though I haven’t given up trying to persuade more visual artists to join CARFAC BC (http://www.carfacbc.org/)!
In a province where there are perhaps ~20,000 people who consider themselves visual artists, having only ~250 members underlines the organizational and political weakness of this sector. Alas, there was a time when artists picketed galleries and institutions to win some of the rights we enjoy today, and which governments are hacking away at as we watch.
I’m also a strong believer in creative, nonviolent direct action. Our community saved its elementary school from closing during the first Campbell regime, and a big ingredient in our campaign was a hunger strike that my wife initiated and which 50 people eventually joined for various periods of time (http://www.claireart.ca/Picsumm.pdf).
Surely musicians, dancers, actors, writers and visual artists can come up with some energetic, catchy and effective actions
Susan, thanks for the story about the amigas and their amigas. I guess in that situation, they had a strong leader who inspired and moved the movement along. Perhaps that is what’s needed in the BC arts scene. Who that could be, I don’t know.
Bill, I agree about the CARFAC numbers, but artists are an interesting bunch. Their very independence (and sometimes budget) is what makes them disinclined to join organizations like that. Even with an organization such as the Alliance for Arts and Culture in Vancouver, most of its members are organizations of some kind. Artists often view these organizations as service organizations only (we do call them arts service organizations) so want some “service” in return for their money. They often completely miss the larger objectives and impact they could have. Sad, but that’s my experience.
I think artists of all stripes could come up with effective actions IF, they could actually get organized. It’s the organization that is the stumbling block.
Thanks to you both for posting your thoughts.
John thanks for your comment.
A follow up: the Amigas/Amigos movement had a positive follow up outcome, (nothing to do with/from President Fox), in the pueblitos concerned citizens formed their own “groups” to continue doing for themselves, (partly because of their “inherent” mss-trust of anything to do with “gobierno” – government.)
Sort of like local “booster clubs” that take ownership and move forward to support their needs.
So maybe we don’t need just one leader but a number of “booster clubs” to create a grass-roots movement.
Think about all those “mamacitas” who have their children participating in Music in the Schools programs before and after school…..(“papacitos” too!)
Lot’s of them out there.
John: You’ve brought up the critical issue here. I’ve always thought wouldn’t it be great if we had one powerful provincial organization representing all of the arts and the people who work in them? In reality, though, even if such an organization could exist (fat chance!) what power or influence could it possibly have? As you say, if all artists went on strike, who would care? Or even notice?
Susan’s point about “mamacitas” is interesting. I wonder if they’re out there somewhere waiting to join the “tribe”–or the “club” as Frank Smith called it (People who have strong and devoted interests in their lives: the readers club, the opera club, the art gallery club, etc.).
As you know, I’m now involved with the Saint James Music Academy, modeled, though not intentionally, after El Sistema in Venezuela. There, I see young kids learning to play the violin, cello, piano, etc. and playing classical music. You can immediately see that they are also developing a love for it and an appreciation of accompllishment. We have an orchestra, a choir, and chamber music groups for advanced students. If you check out these YouTube sites, you’ll see not only our kids talking and playing, but some interesting stuff about El Sistema USA. http://bit.ly/c3ofmC and http://bit.ly/cltTgR
Maybe here is where we should start. The schools are not going to teach kids about music or art–not seriously or as an important part of the curriculum. Maybe we need to start music schools–free lessons for kids–in every city and town. El Sistema has revolutionized Venezuelan society. Why not ours?
I’ll tell you how I want to start: Kathy Walker, who started SJMA, is an amazingly energetic, dedicated, intelligent, and articulate woman. I want to send her on a lecture tour around the province. We might get a few community arts councils to sponsor a talk by her and/or we might be able to raise some private or corporate funding. If we could find, in each community, one or two “mamacitas” (just like Kathy, who has six kids!) who saw this as a great opportunity for their kids, who knows?, we might be able to start something.
That’s my dream for today.
Perhaps we need a bit more of this sort of action in BC: http://tinyurl.com/23dkcvv