DISTRIBUTE, DISCUSS, EXHIBIT

Art Work: A National Conversation About Art, Labor, and Economics; Photography by Jerry Mann

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT ART, LABOR, AND ECONOMICS

We are all coping as best we can with the aftermath of the tremendous global economic collapse, the depths of which seem to still be unknown, the criminals who created it still not held accountable. This prolonged economic crisis has already had a transformative effect on the arts. It is disastrous for those who in recent years benefited handsomely from the way things operated. There are a large number of us, however, that did not, and the crisis has caused an even greater reduction in the few resources that were once dependable.

We think that there are some really good things that can come out of this crisis. The established ways of doing things and the treatment of artists and arts professionals were not working well for the majority of people. We think it is an opportune moment to critically reassess the status quo and to push for more equitable working, labor, and economic conditions for artists and arts professionals. It is a chance to insist on an opening up of the infrastructures built for the dissemination of art far beyond commercial market interests and the domination of art discourse by commercial gallery centers and their university training grounds.

We would like to invite you to join us in shifting the discussion and opening things back up. In a collaborative effort, Temporary Services (a Chicago-based art collective) and SPACES (yours truly) produced and distributed Art Work: A National Conversation About Art, Labor, and Economics, a one-off newspaper that features regional reports, historical analysis, projects past and present that address economic issues within art, and more. After distributing nearly all of the existing newspapers we have in print, we urge your to visit and share the corresponding website where you can find the pdf of the newspaper (high and low res!).

The paper was designed by Temporary Services so that it can easily be taken apart and transformed into an exhibition. We hope to find people who will set up an exhibition of the paper and hold discussions in their cities around the topics within. We also hope that others will see the paper as a challenge and start producing their own publications and start working for a healthy resilient treatment of artists in our society.

The paper continues to be distributed in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. We have been mailing copies to artist run spaces, art collectives, individuals, artist networks and unions, all major art institutions, art media, and universities with art programs.

In addition to the printed paper, artandwork.us presents the contents of the paper and a calendar of exhibitions and discussions around the U.S. A PDF in various formats for use in classes, reprints, electronic dissemination, and other purposes is found here.

Here is how you can get involved:
- Distribute the paper in your city.
- Host an exhibition of the paper.
- Hold a discussion about the economic concerns your community has
- All of the above

If you and/or your venue can host an exhibition, an event, and/or distribute copies of this newspaper, please contact us as soon as possible. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions for the newspaper, related events, and/or the website at any time.

Here is a list of events that have taken place so far ...

Thank you and we look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Temporary Services and SPACES
temporaryservices.org
SPACESgallery.org