The Bush Foundation, one of Minnesota’s largest philanthropic funding groups, announces a shift.
The Bush Foundation, one of Minnesota’s largest philanthropic funding groups, announces a shift.
I love many forms or art, particularly performing arts, photography, and literature. But there are certain nooks and crannies within the arts that are almost guaranteed to pique my interest. Two of these—art projects referencing life in little cities, and art combined with science—are referenced in today’s Education Life section of the New York Times:
Dan and I are headed to the beach in three days, so unless I get an iPhone (not likely!) there will be no blogging next week.
The beach reminds me of a little postcard I have framed in my apartment. It is a self-portrait of Tracy Emin. She is kneeling in what first looked to me like a stable, but is in fact a beach hut, her beach hut that was placed on exhibition and then lost in the Momart fire. I first saw the photograph in London and the title (above) stuck with me.
I love portraits. The photograph above caught my eye at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and led me to Michael Garlington and his photocar project. I am a sucker for any art project that involves cross-country travel. The Poetry Bus Tour is another one. If anyone reading this knows of other projects, especially those including little cities, please post a comment.
Artists in the Workforce: 1990-2005 was released by the National Endowment for the Arts in June. As a statistics geek who loves putting research into action, I am interested to see where—and how—this influences arts funding and programming.
NEA Chairman Dana Gioia’s introduction to the report extolls the virtues of artists as hardworking (albeit underemployed) Americans, citing the following facts:
-Nearly 2 million Americans describe their primary occupation as artist, a larger group than agricultural workers, the legal profession or medical doctors. Of this number, many work in the for-profit field.
-The size of the artistic community gives the group enormous aggregate income—approximately $70 billion annually.
-Compared to other U.S. workers, American artists tend to be better educated and more entrepreneurial.
Overall, the report provides statistical support for many agendas. I was most interested in the data about where artists live. As large corporations consolidate and shift operations from small towns, I fear that we are seeing another post-industrial exodus that will have an impact on rural areas and little cities, making it even more difficult for them to support nonprofit organizations and artists. Already, half of all artists live in 30 metropolitan areas, and more than one-fifth live in the top five.
What does this mean for little cities? It means that they are underrepresented by of a part of the workforce that is educated, entrepreneurial, outspoken and growing in diversity. It means that, 25 or 50 or 100 years from now, the stories of America that are told through art history will be told by artists who lived in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, DC, and Boston. And it means that, quite often, the best and brightest young artists will move from their hometown to larger, supposedly greener, economic pastures—not because they lack inspiration in their communities, but simply because they cannot find enough work.
Of course, one may correctly argue that the percentage of artists in the workforce of some little cities (Boulder, Santa Cruz, Stamford) is comparable to that of New York City and Los Angeles. But I am sure that artists and administrators in those cities will tell you that: volume matters. Little cities have small and mid-size arts organizations. Little towns outside of major metro areas struggle to build the bridges and partnerships that could attract much-needed state and national funding. And a playwright I know, who lives in the not-so-little city of Seattle, recently wrote me about his struggles there, saying “Overall, opportunities are fewer in number by far by far by far than Chicago. And recognition is that much further from the east coast. Like it or not, [Arthur] Miller was right when he said no writers could ignore New York or risk being ignored by New York.”
What is the answer? I have no idea. But maybe it’s time we put our creative shoulders to the wheel and start thinking about it.
T. Paul Lowry, Creative Director of New Haven Theater Company , is trying a bold new experiment with a tried-and-true Shakespearean drama: open-source theater. UBRSTAR (you-be-our-star), the latest NHTC program, is billed as an theater experience that "utilizes a troupe of stage and online actors to transform the stage to an interactive landscape."
Designed by Carrot Creative , the website includes video instructions on how to create and upload your own video "role," and offers several scripts to choose from.
Since the site’s launch in May, it has been a challenge to get non-company members to post their videos online. But another feature of UBRSTAR, the "sound-offs," is brilliant. One of the joys of live theater is the chance to see how people around you respond to the play in front of them. In today’s on-demand culture, the opportunity to get a taste of what that post-show conversation might be like, through a sound-off video, is far more authentic than a review or e-group hyperbole.
NHTC are not the only theatermakers exploring what open source means for the performing arts. http://www.opensourcetheater.org is linked to Richard Foreman’s Bridge Project, but upon a cursory review of the project it seems that videotaped performances are only being shared "openly" with people who attended a series of workshops.
Charles Mee’s (re)making project is a form of open source theater, but it has no social networking or video capability … which would allow for the participants to easily connect with one another.
Last but not least, if you don’t want to make open source theater, but you are an arts advocate, you can participate in Andrew Taylor’s open source PSA project .
More information about the creation of UBRSTAR is included in this week’s Art Agenda, originally broadcast on 88.1fm, WESU, Middletown on July 10, 2008.
Interview with the theater company Art Farm about their upcoming production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Featuring director Marcella Trowbridge and actor Jackie Coleman (who is also the Director of Education at Hartford Stage).
Interview excerpted from The Art Agenda. Broadcast on 88.1fm, WESU, Middletown on July 3, 2008.
Edward Lifson’s photo-tastic blog post about DIY LeWitt .
So did the Boston Globe .