My Commissioner used to say that only 2 things happen for an artist from exposure- they die from it or they get arrested for it.

Been too swamped to reply on this topic, so thank you Debra for your response and getting the dialogue going.  I couldn’t agree more with your points. 

20 years ago when I was working full time as a public artist, this was unfortunately common place.  Things have been thankfully changing in the industry, but we need to continue to educate the public and some art administrators that being an artist is a profession, and as with any profession, you need some form of payment to make ends meet for the work you do.  I try to always assume positive intent, so I think the main issue is just one of education and advocacy for the creatives we serve, so they are paid for the work they do. 

Coincidentally, I had an artist contact me just yesterday because a non-profit contacted her and invited her to produce a mural design without compensation.  If they chose the design, they would provide her a stipend and good “exposure”.  I gave her some advice and thoughts, and she shared with me a form paragraph one of her artist friends now regularly sends out to these type of “exposure” opportunity RFP requests.  I thought it was very timely for this PAAN discussion:

“Hello, I am reaching out to you to let you know that I was planning on applying to your [INSERT NAME] project but then noticed you are requiring rendered designs upfront. As an artist and small business owner, I feel this is unfair to ask of applicants. You should be able to tell from an artist’s description of their vision for the project and/or their existing portfolio if they are a good fit for the project or not. Instead, you are asking artists to work for free and this further perpetuates the starving artist stereotype. Not all artists can afford the time and labor it takes to develop a design without compensation. I urge you to rethink the requirements for this application.”

❤️

I am surprised no one has answered this before now. Artists can’t eat exposure. They can’t pay rent with exposure. They can’t pay utility bills with exposure. You have $6,000 for two artists. $3,000 can buy an awful lot of recognition at the grocery store when they go there once a week.  

As a former performing artist who was promised a lot of exposure, I learned this answer early on: “Do you know what artists get from exposure? Pneumonia!”

Pay the prize money, send a press release with pictures, enjoy the art.

Debra

Debra Burrell, Arts Manager

(Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)

City Hall, Suite A-rt

810 Union Street, 1^st Floor

Norfolk VA 23510

757-274-2819 (mobile)

757-664-4330 (office)

*** This is an EXTERNAL email. Please exercise caution. ***

Call For Artists Recognition

The City of Nolanville, Texas Public Arts Council is issuing its 2024 Call for Artist.  The them of this year’s outdoor sculpture exhibition is Environmental Science and Technology.  We are inviting artists from Texas and Oklahoma to submit up to three digital images of their sculpture.  We are providing $1,000 in travel stipends to defray the cost of transporting artwork that will be on display for one year.  However, instead of prize money, I would like to provide the winning artists with public exposure / publicity for their submissions.  Do any of you have unique ways in which your arts programs recognize artists and to increases their public exposure.  The Nolanville Arts Council has a $6,000 budget to recognize the two winning artists.  Your thoughts are most appreciated. 

Thank you!

Brian    

We don’t have a formal policy or budget for studio visits for every project.  We do them on a case-by-case basis as budget and timing allows.  We always ask for photos and updates of work in progress along the way. If there are any concerns, we will visit the studio.

Hope this is helpful.

Michele Bailey

Senior Program Manager

Accessibility Coordinator

Vermont Arts Council

136 State Street

Montpelier, VT 05633

802.402.4614

Voice and relay calls welcome

pronouns: she, her, hers

Vermont. Arts. Everywhere.

www.vermontartscouncil.org

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Hello all you public art administrators!

What is your standard practice for studio visits on commissioned public art pieces?  Do you always do them?  Do you do them when you have money?  Do you never do them?  Do you do them when the artist is in the same city? Same state? 

Trying to get a gage on any universal practices.  I think it’s a best practice to see the piece in fabrication and discuss feedback with the artist in their studio or location of fabrication, but not sure how standard this is. 

LMK what you do 😊.  

Happy FRIDAY!

Marjorie

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