Blumenthal Arts’ Post

📌RESEARCH: EXPLORING MARGINALISED VOICES IN THE IRISH ARTS/CREATIVE SECTORS We are undertaking research to gather intersecting information on what it’s like to work in the arts/creative sectors. Are you a disabled artist or arts worker? If so, we invite you to participate in this research by completing our online survey: https://loom.ly/U7vJNeU Read more about this important research here: https://loom.ly/NSggB_I

Should the Arts Sector be a delivery agent for the new government's 5 Missions (see below)? That appears to be what Arts Council England is positioning the sector as. I believe such a strategy involves big risks: An "Instrumentalist" approach (where art only exists to serve a (political) purpose) risks replacing the principle of arms-length funding with vassal funding. Were that to happen, artists become delivery agents of the state, and audiences become whomsoever the government wants them to be. At this transformative moment in UK history, doesn't the sector more than ever need strong voices advocating for artistic freedom, and for excellence being the driver of new audiences? * The 5 missions are: Kickstart economic growth, Make Britain a clean energy superpower, Reduce violent crime, Reform childcare & education, and Fix the NHS.

Dynamite Durhamites: this is the last push to get your input into the Cultural Roadmap to plan next steps for Bull City arts and cultural infrastructure. Please take a tiny bit of time to complete these surveys so that your ideas don't just remain in your head. The Cultural Roadmap Community-wide Survey for all members of our community and informs city representatives on arts preferences and a broader vision for Durham’s arts and cultural communities.      Survey 1, Durham Cultural Roadmap Community Survey: https://lnkd.in/gRXp7VAh     Survey 2, Facility Needs Survey for Cultural Organizations, Artists and Cultural Workers: https://lnkd.in/gSTRfAH2    This survey is specially for cultural organizations, artists, writers, musicians, public historians, etc.  We want to hear from you about how you use creative spaces and how you think Durham can improve or expand these resources. 

📈 Despite the growing salience of artistic freedom, there is a lack of data and awareness of the challenges which hinders the work in ensuring artistic freedom worldwide. How is artistic freedom monitored? Who are the main actors driving artistic freedom forward? Find out more in the new ifa study by Ole Reitov and Sara Whyatt 👉https://lnkd.in/egVUbQD9 and listen to the Kulturmittler:innen Deep Dive podcast episode:  https://lnkd.in/eQtxVBX4. 💡 The new ifa study "The Fragile Triangle of Artistic Freedom: A Study of the Documentation and Monitoring of Artistic Freedom in the Global Landscape" addresses these issues and explore the current status of artistic freedom monitoring and documentation systems. Through interviews with key actors and analysis of available reports, the study explores the fragile interdependency among the 'triangle of actors' driving artistic freedom - donors, UN bodies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) - for funding and information. It reveals how these actors understand the current challenges facing the 'artistic freedom landscape' and identifies gaps in the promotion and protection of artistic freedom, including what is needed to address them. 🎨 In celebration of the UNESCO World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May), the importance of artistic freedom as a fundamental human right and as prerequisite to the fulfillment of cultural rights is at the forefront. As Ole Reitov and Sara Whyatt put it, "[Considering the limited] substantial global documentation and monitoring of artistic freedom [...] and [marginal] research on the negative effects of censorship and Repression [...], it is time for those who may influence and decide on supporting a more sustainable landscape to sit together with artistic freedom CSOs to find long-term solutions." #FreedomInExile #FreiheitimExil #ForumCulturalRelations #Research #CulturalRights #ArtisticFreedom

🎨🌟 Join us at The Other Session! 🌟🎨 Through a captivating blend of performative panel talks, artistic interventions, and thought-provoking installations, we’re diving into the fringes of artistic practice. 🎭✨ 🌟 The Other Session Highlights 🌟 🗣️ Performative Panel: Engage with artists, curators, and Council of Europe representatives. 🎭 Dialogues and Performances: In light of 70 years of the European Cultural Convention, we’ll explore the delicate balance between expression and boundaries. 🏛️ Cultural Institutions: We’ll review how existing institutions champion the Freedom of Artistic Expression and discuss the need for alternative spaces. 🌠 Supporting the Fringes: Our project aims to provide robust and sustained support for voices often silenced and ideas neglected. 🎨 Manifesto for Expression: The Council of Europe recognises that arts and culture are powerful tools for dialogue in democratic societies. 🌐 Join the Conversation: The Council of Europe brings together governments, artistic communities, and civil society to address the challenges faced by artists. #ArtisticFreedom #DialogueMatters #SupportTheSilenced

📌RESEARCH: EXPLORING MARGINALISED VOICES IN THE IRISH ARTS/CREATIVE SECTORS We are undertaking research to gather intersecting information on what it’s like to work in the arts/creative sectors. If you are an artist or arts worker from a minoritised racial or ethnic background, we are inviting you to participate in this research by completing our online survey. More information: https://loom.ly/NSggB_I Get directly to the survey: https://loom.ly/U7vJNeU #AccessibilityDescription: Text on a blue filtered background. The text says "Exploring marginalised voices in the Irish arts/creative sectors: Ethnicity." The Safe to Create logo is positioned on the top left of the frame and a row of supporter logos sit along the base. These are the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the Irish Theatre Institute, the Arts Council, Screen Ireland and Minding Creative Minds.

Input wanted: Research into arts residencies in Scotland Dr Anna McLauchlan is currently researching arts residencies in Scotland for a Scottish Society for Art History (SSAH) journal article. She is looking for edits and additions to this google doc, containing organisations and sites in Scotland that routinely host residencies (or did host them in the past): https://lnkd.in/ed3n3KfR She is interested in the breadth of organisations that routinely host residencies (or did so in the past). Categorisation can be tricky, so details about all residency initiative are welcomed. Your input will be acknowledged in any published work – you can add your contact details to the spreadsheet in the ‘source (your name)’ and ‘source contact’ columns OR email [email protected] with your details. The outcomes of this broader research can be requested by emailing [email protected].

Archipel.eu puts the spotlight on the arts and culture sector in the EU’s outermost regions and overseas countries and territories 🇪🇺🌏🎨🥁 From traditional canoes in the Pacific islands, to hip hop culture in French Guiana and a digital museum on Curacao, the EU-funded Archipel.eu project has helped promote art, culture, and heritage in the EU’s outermost regions and overseas countries and territories.👇 #OutermostRegions #EUFunds

A super important read.

Reaction Post to “Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea” (Smithsonian American Art Museum). The "Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea" exhibition offers a compelling and necessary exploration of the American West's multifaceted history, challenging stereotypes and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. It's an enlightening journey through art that challenges preconceptions. One standout piece in the Memory Makers section caught my eye—a powerful work by Jacob Lawrence. His ability to transmit cultural memory and reveal overlooked histories is truly remarkable. This section, along with the others, showcases the resilience and rich narratives of communities that have often been overshadowed by mainstream Western accounts. In an era where much of our cultural engagement and education are moving online, those who lack access to digital platforms are at risk of being excluded from exhibitions like this. The exhibition's exploration of diverse voices, histories, and experiences in the American West underscores the importance of making such content available to all, regardless of their digital access. Addressing the #DigitalDivide involves ensuring that marginalized communities, often depicted in this exhibition, have equitable access to the online resources that can broaden their horizons and promote inclusivity. By acknowledging and bridging the digital divide, we can ensure that the narratives and histories presented in exhibitions like "Many Wests" are accessible to everyone, contributing to a more equitable and informed society.