martyn coutts

We need to smash the model, break the way things are done, start to think about work as something that needs to happen – reclaim the making of work for artists. It is US as artists that drives the ‘arts industry’. <Indeed, i remember being in Tasmania and great community artist Neil Cameron saying emphatically  ‘IT. IS. NOT. AN. INDUSTRY.’>

As soon as an artist begins to make work, as soon as one decides to find a way to create outside of the structures offered, as soon as artists rethink the way that things are constructed – that is the moment we can reclaim what it is we do.

What is it that needs to happen? What is the way that that thing can happen? What do you have in front of you? “BUT I DON’T HAVE; AUDIO EQUIPMENT/ VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE / WRITING ABILITY/ DANCE TRAINING” – you do  – you always have had access to it – you have a phone, you have garage band, you have a pencil, you have danced in nightclubs, fuck – some of the most interesting work I have seen has been edited on imovie.

“BUT THERE IS NO SPACE, I HAVE NO TIME, I HAVE NO MONEY” – you are an artist, you are creative – in the words of Nike – just do it. Lara Thoms made an installation on a boat in Sydney harbour with over 20 live artists for less than $10,000, Willoh and I have made 3 works in Sydney, Perth and Newcastle with no funding, Suitcase Royale revel in the fact that their work comes from found objects – and i doubt if many of their shows would be funded at all.

As soon as this happens, as soon as the artist claims his or her own space and time, that is the moment that presenters and funding bodies are not needed or begin to lose their power. Because you know that if you do submit an application, that you are already on the path to making it – that you will find a way to make the work yourself even if you are ‘unsuccessful’.

When we start to work outside the model – then presenters and funding bodies will be forced to change  – they will be forced to shift to be responsive to us. Hang on – isn’t that what they are supposed to do??

We need a new model – I can’t tell you what it is, no-one can – because it will come from the needs of artists making work, not from presenters, administrators, policy makers or funding bodies.

This sounds like a ridiculous pep talk and indeed it is nothing new – wiser, smarter and more talented people have been saying this stuff for years. But in the current economic climate and with power strengthening around organisations it is time to reclaim the space around artmaking  – to reclaim it for artists. In the end it can only mean better work and that can only be better in the long run for audiences.