Tuesday, September 21, 2021
We Need More Arts Workers in Arts Advocacy
SoundGirls.org: One of the biggest blessings for me over the pandemic was that I finally had time to get involved in my community. I explored undiscovered neighborhoods, tried lots of restaurants that had always been closed by the time I got home late from my shows, volunteered at a food pantry, and started following local news and politics. As part of this, I became more involved with local arts organizations and in statewide arts advocacy. I attended Zoom meetings to learn how other artists, arts workers, and arts organizations were weathering the storm, and to simply meet others from my city who were working in the creative industries.
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2 comments:
Arts advocacy is so important to arts workers, and until reading this article, I hadn’t considered how far removed the two things are. How is an Arts Advocacy group supposed to represent people it doesn’t communicate with? Public funding for the arts can be life-changing for theaters and artists. I especially appreciated the detailed explanation of how arts advocacy groups work and communicate. Finally, I appreciated the statistic that every $1 invested in the arts returns as $7 in the economy. That really puts emphasis on the importance and economic potential of an industry too often overlooked in political conversation. I know that after this, I will be looking out for meetings and elections where I can make my voice heard, but as a student and a middle-class white person, there is only so much perspective I can give. I truly do hope that all arts workers get more involved in arts advocacy.
I found this article very informative because although I knew that there were theater organizations out there to support people in the industry, I didn’t realize how many there were or how much they need younger viewpoints. When touching on the covid pandemic, the author mentions that the many people who make a living off separate “gigs” aren’t recognized in our economic system which I find interesting because being exposed to this industry, I have learned that is how most people survive. This point is especially relevant when the author talks about applying for unemployment, etc. because it is difficult to keep track of every job you did that year especially if they were only “one day”. I found this interesting because I am always worried about documenting all my little jobs, so it is good to know my effort could come in handy one day. After reading this article, I am interested in researching how I can become a voice in one of these organizations to help our world better understand the theatre industry.
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