Raw Data- Session One
Raw Data from ArtsLink 1st Members’ Meeting
November 5 - 6th 2010 New Brunswick Museum Saint John NB
Roundtable Concerns Session One: Break-outs By Discipline
In Session 1, artists gathered in groups based on their discipline to discuss the issues pertinent to their particular artistic medium. The notes below show what concerns were raised by each discipline. Photos by Mike Wennberg.
WRITERS: Literature / Poetry / Storytelling
Professional Development
Income Tax issues, tax write-offs, regulations and self-employment.
Support needed for self-publishing coops, inde bookstores, local publishers.
Guidance finding agents, publishing houses and understanding the process.
Arts Education
Promote understanding of the literary arts with children and families by celebrating local cultures.
Develop arts resources, reading and writing, in the school system.
Shift focus from “standardization and conformity” in society and education.
Seek balance. Illustrate the magic and practical value of creativity through story-telling, music, dance, reading, writing, acting and the visual arts.
Increase Exposure
Seek creative way to ensure a stronger collaborative voice for local writers.
Include more of the literary arts in community events.
Use multimedia resources to engage the local community and schools.
Ongoing celebrations of local poets, authors, writers.
CRAFT & SCULPTURE
Cross-communication
Become more inclusive, grass roots.
Eliminate boundaries within visual arts organizations.
ArtsLink as a Resource Centre could provide clear guidelines and resources for artists to communicate with all artists, especially rural artists.
Reach out and access government departments, education systems, funders, art patrons and local arts boards.
More arts advocates are vital, to represent the voice of artists around the province, across disciplines.
Education
Art is versatile. More knowledge needed amongst staff and students.
Eliminate the separation between arts and education.
Raise the profile, promote, develop relationships between artists and education system.
Increase accessibility for online arts education resources.
Marketplace
Create workspace, exhibition venues for artists, community celebrations.
Create mentorship program w/ instrument makers, dancers, composers...
Raise the profile of all artists within their own community.
EMERGING ARTISTS
Open Communication
Arts orgs need to accept new ideas, openness to emerging and new artists.
Older arts community need to mentor and support; be more inclusive.
Offer ongoing support and development for rural/urban artists/arts orgs.
More central communication wanted; need to give back and reach out.
Marketplace
Artists need more avenues for exposure to generate interest.
Difficult to find affordable venues and opportunities for exhibition space.
“No Name Art Show” affordable art opportunities for general public.
Professional practice workshops can offer skills needed to emerge.
Want local and provincial promotion of “all artists” on a regular basis.
Networking
Create opportunities between artists, Board of Education, government.
Engage and include rural artists by traveling to their communities.
Encourage communication via networking sites, social media, face to face.
Connect arts centres, galleries and all artists in the province.
Registry needed to identify artists in all disciplines, including c.v. specialty.
Arts Link as resource centre centralized database.
THEATRE and FILM
Professional Development
Need a forum for theatre arts educators to share ideas and skills.
Artists need awareness about arts infrastructures (one org vs. another).
Training venues for theatre and film required.
Generalists vs. experts in their fields (what is basic / too little).
Need casting / agent system; this occurs on a voluntary basis and takes time away from other activities; make it a paid activity.
Why do funding waivers go to the experts “from away”?
Human resource capital needs to be developed.
Culture
There is a need to tell New Brunswick cultural stories.
Prevent the leakage out of the province of artistic activity.
Need to build excitement about arts and culture.
Change the misconception or attitude that the arts is a hobby.
What values do we teach children/public about artists, about this culture?
How to engage directly with the Dept of Education? This is a challenge but less so on the French side because of follow-up action by Strategie Globale.
There is a need to encourage crossover between English, French and Mactaquac schools especially in Drama Festivals and so on.
Need to raise the profile of Mactaquac artists here in NB?
Need for more cross over between Anglophone and Francophone arts activities, schools, theatres.
Cultural mosaics exist on both Anglo and Franco sides, what is Anglo vs. American Culture?
Practical
Need registry, list of artists to draw from, e.g. Board of Trade directory.
Request multi-year funding (artists are a safe investment) secure funding.
Are there industry associations for Theatre and Film in NB?
Industry Standards, what is acceptable practice?
What would an Artists’ Union bring to the table and offer the artists? standardized professional qualifications, etc.
Some countries offer monthly stipends to professional artists besides the other funding grants available. Is this possible in NB.
Need to facilitate and enable the telling of NB stories via politics that encourages human resource development in NB.
Let’s look at the arts in NS, which has learned to tell NS stories.
MUSIC and DANCE
Recognition
How can musicians / dancers receive recognition for their work / business.
What are we selling and to whom?
Are artists with p/t jobs considered professional artists?
What is a professional artist?
Full time musicians worry – am I marketable?
There is a false dichotomy between legitimate biz vs. musicians?
If I am working poor, am I less of an artist?
Who lobbies for musicians and dancers?
Education
What is the future for music students / community?
How can musician access the school and Ministry of Education?
Artists communicate with Ministry of Education and Governments.
ArtsLink working directly with government, educators and artists.
Is there a music presence within traditional Education system?
Communication and cooperation with parents needed.
The arts are not just to train professional artists.
Are there benefits in private teaching?
Artist Concerns
Struggle to find funds to purchase instruments.
Where is suitable practice space? Cost?
How to balance income & quality time for instrument/creative development.
dWhere in the community can I find general assistance?
Live music or computer generated?
Financial strain implies non-committal, how do we change the stigma?
Information need regarding Income Tax issues ($10,000 non taxable)?
Tax claims ignored. Where do artists receive info regarding bookkeeping?
Access to Audiences
What are we selling and to whom?
Is Music a marketable commodity?
How to market the arts / artists ?
Back of car business – live vs recorded.
Exposure brings value.
Is music, theatre, visual arts mandatory in traditional schools?
VISUAL ARTISTS
Artists understanding an entrepreneur role.
Galleries and artists must reach out – engage.
Arts organizations becoming more inclusive.
Not equipped to supply demand workshops, print shops, production centres.
Need live / work production space.
Marketing, creating venues, connect trades with artists.
What do artists need? quality life, $wage, dentist, mental health, material needs.
Artists can be isolated and more so rural artists.
Online resource accessibility.
Artists, bankers, developers can work together and built live/work highrise apt buildings for artists. An apartment complex complete with small theatre, workrooms, meeting rooms and so on. (see PAL Vancouver).
Access to market audience
Arts Magazine NB