Thursday, August 27, 2009

Collective Arts Think Tank: First Letter to the Field: What's working, what's not working, recommendations:

What is written below comes out of two meetings that have included presenters, a critic, artists, service organizations and grant-makers. Individually and sometimes together, we have served on panels and town meetings. We came together this year out of a shared set of concerns about what we see as systemic problems facing the field of contemporary live performance. We plan to keep meeting regularly. We hope our observations and recommendations will be useful to you as you determine the best ways to serve the rapidly changing ecosystem for live art.

This letter is split into three parts: The state of the field; possible actions for artists; and possible actions for grant-makers. We do not expect anyone to be able to absorb or implement all these ideas – we are trying to take stock of the situation on a broad level so that all parties are working with the same information toward shared goals. This letter does not endeavor to be the end of a conversation but rather the beginning of a dynamic and strategic dialogue that speaks to our mutual passion and commitment to a thriving community of artists, audience and advocates.