Visual Arts Work
Description
This book provides the most comprehensive picture to date of work in the visual arts ecosystem in Australia. In a context where artists' incomes are consistently low and falling, commercial galleries are financially vulnerable, and public galleries face program funding challenges - this book explores barriers to the economic health of the sector, the challenge of improving artists' and arts workers' working conditions, and the realities of being a creative in the twenty-first century. The book combines an analysis of art world economic value chains alongside alternative and emergent cultural, social and political economies with new quantitative and qualitative insights from artists and arts workers. With interdisciplinary methodologies and industry engagement, it examines multiple and hybrid systems of value and includes the perspectives of visual artists, craft artists and arts workers with diverse lived experiences. Our research offers greater insight into the social, cultural, and political forces that underly the mediation of art to the public including an urgent emphasis on gender, cultural safety and care work including the concerns of First Nations artists, culturally and linguistic diverse artists, and artists with disability. Our approach unpacks the diversity and hybridity of art 'work' to include practices realised through digitisation, internationalisation, community engagement and intersectoral partnerships.
Reviews / Votes
"This is a comprehensive review which combines economic, social and cultural value systems in an interplay that attempts to move the conversation to more nuanced and complex notions of how we capture and interpret data from visual arts and craft ecologies. A thoroughly enjoyable read that platforms perspectives from people that do not also have a voice in these debates." (Dr John David Wright, University of Leeds, UK)
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Persons
Grace McQuilten is Professor at the School of Art, RMIT, Australia.
Chloë Powell is Research Assistant at the School of Art, RMIT, Australia.
Marnie Badham is Associate Professor at the School of Art, College of Design and Social Context, RMIT, Australia.
Kate MacNeill is Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Jenny Lye is Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Content
Chapter 1: Visual Arts Work: Global and Local Issues.- Section One Introduction: Context.-Chapter 2: Implementing First Peoples First: Decolonising Action in the Arts and Cultural Sector in Australia.- Chapter 3: The Social History of Visual and Craft Artists Organising in Australia.- Chapter 4: Expanding Artworlds: Recognising Diversity of Art Practices and Artists.- Chapter 5: Industry Perspective The Current State of Play: Policy and Data.- Chapter 6: Industry Perspective Fundamental Change Needed to Improve Artists' Working Conditions.- Chapter 7: Artist Perspective Art and Capital.- Chapter 8: The Incomes of Visual Artists: Which Artists? What Income?.- Chapter 9: The Incomes of Visual Artists: Which Artists? What Income?.- Chapter 10: Towards an Expanded Approach to Cultural Value through Artists' Self-Organisations: Indigenous Arts Centres, Artist Collectives and Artist Run Initiatives.- Chapter 11: Industry Perspective Career Reflections: Artist to Advocate.- Chapter 12: Artist Perspective Institutional Interface, 2024. Chapter 13: Artist Perspective Fighting for Artists' Labour in an Era of Insecurity.- Section Three Introduction: Incomes and Work Patterns.- Chapter 14: Visual and Craft Artists: Insights into Diverse Incomes and Hybrid Patterns.- Chapter 15: Arts Workers: Insights into Insecure work and Career Patterns.- Chapter 16: Visual Arts Work Hybridity: Balancing Creative Practice, Arts Work and Other Jobs.- Chapter 17: Industry Perspective Inside Out/Outside In: Arts Worker to Arts Advocate.- Chapter 18: Artist Perspective Art Work Towards a More Hopeful Future.- Chapter 19: Artist Perspective We Don't Need Materialism, But We Do Need Creativity.- Conclusion.