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#1
Art, Artists and the Economy
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There has been a great deal of attention paid to what is happening to arts organizations in the Twin Cities – but little discussion about individual artists and artists as a community. I think that needs to change. Let's use this forum to discuss some of the issues, challenges, concerns and hopefully some real solutions.
Most of us are connected by mnartists, facebook and other on-line tools. However, we cannot address the challenges of the economy by sitting at our computers or passively waiting for the next bad news. We need to come together and take matters into our own hands. Talk. It’s also time to think about new models for artistic support and ways we can use online and off-line vehicles to generate conversation, debate and participation in a positive direction. Here are some of the questions for discussion: • How do we keep the existing Twin Cities arts community strong and vibrant? What are the key attributes to a thriving artistic community? • How do we preventing alienation, isolation and avoid personalizing the economic crisis? • How do we create opportunity for artists out of the current economic crisis? Are there untapped opportunities that can arise out of the current situation? • How do we facilitate artist involvement in creating solutions and creatively responding to the economic crisis? What do you think? What are the biggest challenges facing artists in the coming years? Scott Stulen Project Director mnartists.org The mission of mnartists.org is to improve the lives of Minnesota artists and to provide access to and engagement with Minnesota's arts community 
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#2
Chicano Artist de Minnesota
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First step Scott is to take down the barrier to the use of the forums. People need to speak out without being identified. Guarantee that a person with a job in the Arts community can speak honestly and from the heart without fear of being tied to that statement. That is what once was powerful in these forums.
You do not get that in any of the "nice social nets"- no one can discuss anything because they will be tied to what they say. "Fear, is the worst thing right now". Everyone is afraid of what the future will bring and so they do not discuss it. Yet it keeps happening. The future was told right here by that horrible voice-coyote. Coyote is fearless. Coyote is not a person who worries about friends-coyote is a spiritual idea in Art. Coyote is here to provoke everyone into speaking what they are afraid of. Once you start to vomit the fly you and others of your generation have swallowed the sooner you will be able to see and understand the economic sky---- Open the doors Scott! It will free everyone to speak the truth. Do not be afraid of what is said-learn from what all artists have to say. coyote infinity Quote:
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#3
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A very timely topic, Scott. Thanks for posting this. These are good questions. I'm curious to know if anyone has any workable answers.
I'd like to point out that economists often describe the arts economy as a "winner-take-all lottery." Meaning, that while most artists find it nearly impossible to make a living as a maker of art, they keep trying because the potentially fantastic rewards (in New York, at Basel and Venice, etc) make it worth it. I don't know how economists describe the current condition, in which the big lottery payoff -- i.e., the international art market -- is completely bust! I had this "winner-take-all" notion in mind when I posted a review, called "Falling Man," of four documentary films on the subject of creative/artistic failure yesterday on The Thousandth Word blog. Check it out: It won't cost you a cent to read!
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#4
Forums, Privacy and Freedom of Expression
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Hello all,
Let's address the topic of registration, freedom of expression and the forums. The featured forums do not require registration. Posters are not required to give a name or any other information to post in the Featured Forums section. Feel free to post in complete anonymity, if you so choose. I completely understand why some users would choose to speak more freely without their name attached to the post. However, there is a certain recklessness and lack of ownership to statements when in complete anonymity, as any visitor to other message boards without moderation would agree. This is why the Feature Forums are moderated but, do not require registration. The other sections on the forums require a user registration to post. This is to keep the spam out of the sections. That is all. No user has ever been banned from the site other than spam and porn posters. If any user has any serious privacy concerns or questions I would be happy to answer them via email, phone or in person. Scott Stulen Project Director mnartists.org scott.stulen@walkerart.org 612-375-7616 (direct line) The mission of mnartists.org is to improve the lives of Minnesota artists and to provide access to and engagement with Minnesota's arts community
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#5
Here, at least, is something you can do...
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Last November Minnesotans made a historic choice to create dedicated funding for the arts and culture in Minnesota's constitution. However, the funding won't be available for at least a year, if not two. In the meantime, Gov. Pawlenty has proposed cuttting funding by 50% over the next two years, and then eliminating funding for the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils altogether after that.
Our response? We are asking that 50% of the new Arts and Culture Fund be dedicated to the MSAB and RACs so it gets out to all Minnesota counties via their grants and services, and that the cuts to the arts be reduced. I believe we will succeed. But in order to win, we need artists and arts supporters to do two things, both at MCA's website www.mncitizensforthearts.org: 1. Send letters to your legislators using our easy to use "contact your legislator" web area, it will take just 5 minutes and all of the talking points you need are right there. Do it before Arts Advocacy Day Feb. 24. 2. Sign up and join us for Arts Advocacy Day on Feb.24. You can do it right there on our site. Remember -"all it takes for evil to win is for good people to say nothing." Sheila
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#6
Done!
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Well, i've registered, written the legislators, linked the artists section on craigslist to this thread, and sent out emails to get friends to register plus some Myspace bulletins to this thread/Minnesota Citizens for the Arts asking them to write legislators/register also... And put in some two cents worth on the thread here. According to repetitive signs the stars have been showing me, i'm supposed to be more pro-active... :) err... whatever :l
Quote:
http://www.mnartists.org/Gabriel_Combs http://statikkineticsm.blogspot.com/ PILBOX art on EBAY http://www.myspace.com/pilbox
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#7
why people don't bother to read you anymore?
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"Michael Fallon
12:16pm Jan 30 Collier! I like the reviews. Nice, quick-in quick-out takes on these works. A question though: Why do you say it is "art’s place to resist and oppose"? Did I miss a memo somewhere? Collier White 02:57pm Jan 30 Hahaha. Just saying that in a moment like this one, where political optimism is rushing through our minds, the artistic sphere is where we might be reminded of those parts of our nature that won't be addressed by a stimulus package. Many people fear that the current adminstration's charismatic leader is going to lead us into disastrous complacency with authority. Art has historically been both of and against its own time and place. I didn't want to demand that local artists stand in lockstep with me in my optimism about the new President. I just didn't want them to lure me into a darkened alley with the promise of idealism." What is really wrong with Art today in Minnesota? The hard working people of Minnesota voted to tax themselves in order to support the Arts. But how do we as a community respond? Where is the caring leadership in our community? What principles of our constitution do we stand for? Are we going to merit the trust of the people in voting to tax themselves for as long as the constitution allows? The coyote paints in alleyways because he knows the main road is closed to hope. The Art leadership that has not yet died closed it. Spring is coming and as in nature there is always a new species of Art to bloom. Michael Fallon 08:22pm Jan 30 Oh, I got that point. It's a good point, and a fair observation. My point is, doesn't it seem like this common assumption about art -- that it should function as some sort of societal conscience -- at the root of the problem you are observing? I mean, perhaps these artists just feel obligated, because of this misguided assumption about the function of art, to give us all the stiff middle paintbrush even in our all-too-brief season of hopefulness. Quote:
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#8
lol-lol-lol- looks like a fence to me
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Watching the icicles melt off the capital dome,....
It is a "depression" and not just the worst economy we have seen in m any years,... What does that mean anyway? So I answered the question "is it a good time to relocate to Minnesota?"- with a roaring "it is the best of times"- we need more artists who can teach art to tired kids after school and get them to add/devide/multiply and spell!" Big laugh on the phone- "really?" A beginning teacher makes less than $20,000/year- yet they are the one who make the biggest difference in test scores of their students-mostly cause they are so green that they try everything and succeed because they don't know better! Bring them on, paint the wagon train from California and Arizona! The bilingual, bicultural teachers are coming! I have invited two to settle in my home until they can find a distressed home to buy with all the cash they bring from the sale of their homes-now to find the actors and writers! Minnesota en espanol!!!!! Yo-vetchu- phonetic twist? I love watching the ice melt. coyote dancing with gold horses Quote:
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#9
Outdoor/Art Tax
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In a recent Star Tribune article there is mention of a slightly disappointing, but not surprising, forecast for the actual amount that will be generated by the sales tax increase. Check out the article http://www.startribune.com/politics/...tml?page=1&c=y if you would like to read more. It also discusses the distribution of the generated money.
It is never too late to let your elected officials know what you think! E-mail, write, fax, call them today!
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#10
Cuts at the MIA
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The MIA just announced they are making cuts to staff and budgets in response to projected budget shortfalls. The Star Tribune has the details here
The mission of mnartists.org is to improve the lives of Minnesota artists and to provide access to and engagement with Minnesota's arts community
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