Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Prairie Artsters: Hit With A Board*

While I feel inclined to say that, as an arts writer, I'm aware of pressing issues within the arts community because it's my job, I must admit I'm mostly aware of these said issues because I sit on arts boards.

Almost every arts organization in this city is a non-profit society, legally governed by the provincial registry to operate by a volunteer board of directors. From the small chapter of cooperative artists working out of their garage to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, every non-profit organization has a board of directors that has to legally meet and be held accountable for the activities and operation of the organization. While the weight and responsibility of being on a board is less than desired by most individuals, especially artists with full-time jobs, this weight is also the leverage one needs to actively and convincingly push for the change we need.

A public arts board is created for public benefit, but the public itself needs to know it can get involved. This may be the most important part, as we have all have at one point passionately or vehemently lamented the situation of the arts and why arts organizations do this and why they do that. If you ever wonder where all the money goes, and why, become a member.

Most non-profit organizations function by maintaining a pool of general members, that anyone (and I mean anyone) can join for a relatively small fee, and as a member, you may and should attend an organization’s annual general meeting, about which they must legally inform its membership—usually with ample notice, depending on their bylaws. This is the easiest way to check into an organization, as their operating documents from their bylaws, financial statements, policies and staff reports must be held accountable to their membership. If they're not, then they're not functioning legally or ethically, and their status as an organization to receive operating funds and endowments needs to be called into question and reconsidered by their members and their funders.

In the past two weeks, I’ve attended two annual general meetings for arts organizations in this city. As a general member for both of these organizations, I felt inclined to exercise my right to check in on the status and direction of the organizations at hand. While change doesn’t happen overnight, it is absolutely necessary to understand how something works before you get involved on any level.

When I was asked to join my first board, I politely declined. Board meetings can be bored meetings, and I didn’t wholly appreciate the babble of bureaucracy, but as I became increasingly invested in the activities of an organization, I needed to invest some time and energy into understanding how they function. I can only encourage others to do the same, as it is your right and the majority’s right to make things better for yourself and for your community.

*First published in Vue Weekly, June 25, 2009

- A.F. Edmonton

7 comments:

MC said...

"...I'm aware of pressing issues within the arts community because it's my job, I must admit I'm mostly aware of these said issues..."

But, see, you didn't "say" what "issues" those are, so that sentence doesn't really work.

"Almost every arts organization in this city is a non-profit society, legally governed by the provincial registry to operate by a volunteer board of directors."

So, these groups are governed by a provincial bureaucracy, and directed largely by non-artist board members (like yourself). Hardly seems accurate to call them "artist-run" then, don't you think? As opposed to, say, the NESW, or Common Sense, which are actually, completely run by artists only (despite your claim from a year ago that "Common Sense is not actually an artist-run centre").

In reality, people can "actively and convincingly push for the change we need" without being a non-profit; although, access to all that free art-org. grant dough would certainly be nice, I must say.

"... it is absolutely necessary to understand how something works before you get involved on any level."

I'm sure you must see that this is incorrect. Obviously, one doesn't necessarily have "to understand how" an organization "works before you get involved at any level". In fact, this contradicts the whole previous point of your own article: that you should join an art-org. to find out how they work. You even write yourself, in the next paragraph, "as I became increasingly invested in the activities of an organization, I needed to invest some time and energy into understanding how they function.". So, in other words, you got involved before you understood how it worked!

In conclusion, if these are what you call "think pieces", then I think they could use a whole lot more "think".

But, I suppose if it's good enough for VUE, who cares if it makes any sense, hey? As long as you get paid, right Amy?

MC said...

[sound of crickets chirping]

Anonymous said...

You're damn right there are crickets chirping you ignorant bastard.

Who wants to have a pretend conversation with a complete fucking asshole?

No one. That's what I thought.

And P.S., artist run centres as defined under Canada Council regulations for eligibility for sustaining grants is a far bit different than what you've got going on over at "Common Sense". Therefore Amy's saying you're not really an ARC is completely accurate.

And further, congratulations on taking on the big war that is grammar correction in our weekly rags you pretentious fuckwit.

And P.P.S., further congrats on naming your gallery after a failed Mike Harris economic revolution that virtually destroyed any kind of social welfare infrastructure in Ontario. You're such a rebel I've just about come in my pants.

Will this blog comment find its way onto your CV? I hope so.

Anonymous said...

Artists of Edmonton ... Use your passion to promote the arts and make your city better. Why wallow in bitterness wasting time and energy? Shift your focus towards making some interesting artwork.

Do join local arts organizations and get involved - the more passionate people who work together the stronger our arts scene will be, otherwise don't complain.


Artist Run Centres are needed, Artist Co-op Galleries are needed. One is not better than the other. Each is trying in it's heartfelt way to benefit the community. So get over it.

Bickering, grammar policing and bitching are fine if you really just want to waste time. True creativity does not emanate from chipped shoulders.

Ok, so you say Edmonton is not Toronto or LA or New York or Berlin or home to the Venice Bienale but it's home - it's up to us to make it special. Edmonton is not to blame, we are. Raise the bar people, push yourselves harder, don't just splash some shit on a wall with half a care and hope someone will notice. Get yourself noticed by making artwork that is bloody fantastic, do something creative. Present every show you have as though it was at the MOMA or the Powerplant or the Tate - whatever your fancy, just take yourselves seriously.

Be ever more professional, work harder and above all stop the blubbering and bitching - MOVE ON AND BE CREATIVE - OR ELSE.

Anonymous said...

Hear. Hear.

Boy, do I ever second the above comment.

Good post!

I hope this comment isn't deleted like the other ones were on the "What's Really Wrong with Edmonton" article.

Let discussion prevail, folks. Rather than acting like whiny babies when someone doesn't agree with us, how 'bout we work together on building a scene we can all be proud of.

And instead of talking down to your readers, like they are idiots who need to be told how to act and feel (Edmonton's art writers have a tendency to do this), why not write as if you actually care about the fact that people really give enough of damn to read the bloody article in the first place.

Anonymous said...

Hey this is anonymous from above calling. Yes action now! Lament later.

Anonymous said...

Again, for a guy who makes shitty lawn ornaments....why so angry man?

You think because you've sold a few garden gnomes that you have the right to be an a-hole all the time?

Life's too short.