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Editorial — Montreal, April 19, 2018
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Artistic Risk Taking Without Financial Risk?
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by Anne Bertrand
Director, ARCA
In light of recent events that have rocked the artist-run community, some made public, others not, I am reminded of the crucial role played by boards of directors in not-for-profit artist-run organizations in Canada. Board members are responsible for overseeing the health of organizations, even as they are usually the persons least involved in their day-to-day operations. This fact alone—a reality inherent to the structure of not-for-profits—is typically the single-greatest source of tension in organizations.
What is the role of administrators in member-driven organizations if not to ensure that this intrinsic, integral tension remains productive by putting in place and maintaining the processes necessary to the function of even the smallest liberal democratic societies? Imperfect as it is, democracy remains our best hope for ensuring that the users—the people who have a stake in any society—have clearly announced and delineated opportunities to voice their views in decisions that could place their organization at risk: in other words, holding annual and special meetings of members, as per the organization’s bylaws and best practices. When we examine our structures, employment contracts, policies, and decision-making processes, we take care of our organizations while simultaneously reducing our liability risks.
The role of an administrator boils down to a basic checklist, which includes, among other things, ensuring the organization’s financial stability and overall performance, as well as the proper hiring, supervision, and evaluation of management and staff. It also means putting in place a transition or succession plan as a way to mitigate the loss of organizational memory and potential risks to funding (most of these ruptures have affected funding). Another crucial point, considering the frequent turnover of volunteers in artist-run centres, is ensuring that the organization has policies in place to address board succession planning, recruitment, and orientation. None of these responsibilities are beyond the capabilities of even the smallest, even the most inexperienced groups, and should be seen instead as opportunities to reinforce identification with the specific role, culture, and methods of artist-run culture.
Haven’t reviewed your bylaws and other governance guidelines in a while? Why not renew your members’ involvement in the life of your organization by reviewing the existing decision-making processes and communicating them to all the members, and other users of the organization, at your next members’ meeting?
> For a primer on board liability
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Listen, Witness, Transmit:
2018 National Indigenous Media Arts Gathering
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The National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition (NIMAC) in partnership with the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) are pleased to announce that this year’s conference will take place June 13-15, 2018 in Saskatoon, SK. Listen, Witness, Transmit will be the first Indigenous lead IMAA gathering in the history of both organisations and will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops, performances, exhibitions and screenings.
The gathering will take place at Wanuskewin Heritage Park approximately 15 minutes outside of the city, along with satellite programming at AKA Artist-Run and PAVED Arts within Saskatoon.
Each day will employ a resurgence practice: the first day—Listening, the second day—Witnessing, and the third day—Transmitting to build momentum that informs Indigenous pathways of continuities, resilience and relationships through art, the community and the collective.
Visit the 2018 National Indigenous Media Arts Gathering website regularly to stay up-to-date on the latest conference information on the schedule, discounts for travel and accommodations, sponsor and advertising opportunities, and learn more about guests that you will meet.
Early bird registration before May 2, 2018.
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News from the membership
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Government Invests in Martha Street Studio
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The Manitoba Printmakers Association (Martha Street Studio) received funding of $17,976, representing a 50% contribution by the Government of Canada through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. The funding will allow Martha Street Studio to purchase a large flatbed scanner, seven iMac office computers, and seven ergonomic chairs that can be adjusted to suit a variety of users. This equipment will help to upgrade the Studio’s digital suite. Bravo!
Read the press release here.
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Inspiring practices
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Upcoming Survey: Conditions for Performance Artists in Canada
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The week of April 23rd, ARCA will disseminate a survey titled Assessing Professional Conditions for Performance Artists in Canada to its current list of artist-run centres across Canada. The intention of this survey is to gather information regarding the current conditions offered to performance artists by Canadian platforms. While remaining confidential, the information collected will be used to survey existing best practices in the artist-run community that either specialize in the presentation of performance or who regularly include performance in their programming. Please make time in your busy schedules to respond to this unprecedented study when you receive it in the next few days.
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2018 Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts: Introduction by Glenn Alteen
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For those who could not attend the 2018 Governor General’s Awards in visual and media arts ceremony, it gives me great pleasure to share the introduction of Glenn Alteen by Lorna Brown.
“ Your Excellency, Laureates, Distinguished Guests, it gives me great pleasure to introduce Glenn Alteen.
In founding Grunt Gallery and Live Performance Biennial, Glenn has built a community through consistent, respectful and ethical inclusion of artists, curators and cultural workers from diverse backgrounds. Glenn recognized before most others the profound challenge posed by emerging Indigenous artists, writers, and curators to the very definition of art in Canada. The foundational support he provided has contributed to the exceptional success of Rebecca Belmore, Dana Claxton, Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, Mike McDonald, Tarah Hogue, and Tania Willard—whose project Beat Nation, investigating the role of hip hop in contemporary Indigenous culture, toured nationally. An attention to the importance of local cultural histories—and their significance to national identities—can be seen in his in-depth exploration of the work of Carole Itter and Al Neil. He has worked tirelessly to preserve their studio cabin, once located on the mudflats of Burrard Inlet, and now destined to become a floating artists’ residency on the waterways of the Lower Mainland. Lastly, Glenn’s inspiring foresight in securing the ownership of the grunt gallery venue, and engaging an archivist on staff, has led to an important legacy and a precedent for other artist-run organizations. In the precarious environment of Vancouver real estate speculation, he ensured Grunt’s viability by securing—and then endowing—a space owned and governed by the artistic community. More than administrative acumen, Glenn’s actions show his dedication to empowering artists as they determine the direction of artistic practice, and in having a say about how it is remembered and valued.”
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—The Canada Council for the Arts recently posted a description of steps leading to funding decisions in response to concerns expressed in a letter written by IMAA and circulated this winter. > More info
—Annual income tax reporting and implications if you receive a grant: a refresher
—For upcoming calls for proposals, please consult the Directory.
—Vancouver Art Book Fair 2018
> Call for Exhibitors Deadline Extended to May 15, 2018.
Publishers, artists, collectives, artist-run centres, institutions and art book distributors are welcome to apply to participate in the 2018 Vancouver Art Book Fair by filling out this form. (Website launch in May 2018)
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—/ In the last issue of l'arca in the loop, ARCA published a comparative table of provincial funding by province for the year 2015-2016 that contained an error. Here is the revised table.
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