Wanted! Fresh Perspectives on Art and Economy

IETM is looking for artistic and cultural projects whose core subject is economy for a new publication. We are looking for projects that you have created or are creating, or that you know of, that directly deal with issues of economy, money or economic exchange as their core subject.

You can send your proposals by filling in this short questionnaire.

Background

IETM is preparing a series of publications "Fresh Perspectives" looking at how the arts interpret great themes of society today. For this first issue on arts and economy, we're working with the British Council France and have commissioned Mission Models Money (MMM) to collect case stories (informal case-studies) about the value of contemporary arts and cultural practice to individuals and society.

This particular project will aim at reframing how art and culture is valued in relation to the economy.

We are seeking fresh perspectives and different vocabularies to tell a new story of what engaging with arts and cultural practice does, how it interacts with and impacts on society, and what its further potential might be in the light of what our world is facing.

How we advance our understanding of the contribution and impact of cultural practices is especially urgent during this historical moment of social, political, economic and environmental upheaval and transition.

Arts and cultural practice are integral to the process of change we are going through and yet artists and arts and cultural organisations often struggle to articulate their value within this contemporary context.

We will generate data and narrative to help move away from a prevailing view that rewards activity that generates high economic growth and increased GDP, toward a perspective that illustrates art and cultures’ role in developing sustainable economies .

The wider aims of this project are to inspire the sector to:

Develop fresh perspectives and narratives on the role of arts and cultural practice in the economy of the future, one which is often described as ‘high wellbeing/low carbon’

Connect those narratives with their social impact

Raise awareness of the role of arts and cultural practitioners in creating new forms of social and economic development and increase their capacity to contribute to their emergence

Open possibilities for new partnerships and collaborations between arts and cultural practitioners and actors from other parts of society.

In focusing on the potential role of art and culture to shape economies that are viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible, we are seeking to identify:

Practices that are engaging with or responding to economic issues in its conception and creation?

The kinds of economic models are artists and arts and cultural organisations using to produce and distribute their work

The way that work is being valued and evaluated

The kinds of learning or training that are needed or happening to help artists and arts and cultural organisations refresh their economic models?

What new relationships are there, either within or outside of the sector, which could create new possibilities for economic exchange?

Examples

Your proposals could include any project which is dealing with the topics of economy, money or economic exchange, regardless its form, discipline or means and methods used.