Waging Culture : Interrogating the Visual Artist Labour Force

Maranda, Michael. Waging Culture : Interrogating the Visual Artist Labour Force. Toronto, Ont.: Art Gallery of York University, 2020.

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Abstract (English)

"Over the past ten years, Michael Maranda of the Art Gallery of York University has been conducting the Waging Culture survey of the socio-economic status of professional visual artists in Canada. The data collected from this survey has brought forward a picture of a sector where the majority of the primary producers are essentially working for free, supplying the raw material with which the entire contemporary art sector functions. For those familiar with the sector, that day-jobs pay the rent for artists is not that surprising, but a solid, data-driven illustration of the extent of the need for such side-hustles is important to truly understand the intertwined mechanics of the sector.

This book, drawing primarily on the 2017 survey, includes a speculative look at some of the drivers of the artist labour force. In particular, we contrast a sales-driven winner-take-all model that exacerbates income inequality with a much more equitable grant-driven work-preference model. Accompanying this analysis, we also describe some of the perverse correlations of educational achievement to financial success in the field, with “profitable” artistic practices being negatively correlated to educational achievements." -- Publisher's website.

Types: Reports > Research reports
All Contributors: Maranda, Michael (Author)
Dossier: 700 - MILIEU DE L'ART - FINANCEMENT DES ARTS / ART MILIEU - SPONSORSHIP AND FUNDING IN ARTS
Collation: 96 pages : colour illustrations ; 26 cm
ISBN: 9780921972808
Language of Publication: English
Publishers: Toronto, Ont.: Art Gallery of York University
Keywords: SURVEY; RESEARCH; WORK; CAPITALISM; ART INSTITUTION
Copyright Statement: Art Gallery of York University
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Deposited by: Artexte Catalogueur
Date Deposited: 03 Nov 2022 19:21
Last Modified: 03 Nov 2022 19:21
URI: http://e-artexte.ca/id/eprint/34406
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