I'm chairing the Panel, "Shaky
Ground, Scorched Earth, Falling Waters, and Rising Tides: Protecting and
Sustaining Studio Practice and Arts Agencies in the Era of Catastrophe"
Sir
Peter Bazalgette, Chair of the Arts Council England, in The Value of Arts and
Culture to People and Society, echoes Richard Florida, asserting the arts are
economic drivers that promote “social and economic goals through local
regeneration, attracting tourists, developing talent and innovation, improving
health and wellbeing, and contributing to the delivery of public services.”
However, he goes one step further, arguing that the arts are “a strategic
national resource” that deserves “a new language of cultural value.”
While few
artists would argue against Bazalgette’s valorization of the arts or his
recommendations for a better nomenclature, few artists sufficiently work to
protect one of the most essential elements in their creative lives: their
studios. Taking the time to assess man-made or natural threats to their artistic
production seems an overly maudlin exercise, and developing a strategic
disaster plan feels more like a corporate chore than a creative act. However,
by preparing and developing resilience strategies, artists and arts
organizations can minimize the impact of disasters and strengthen their ability
to recover with minimal outside assistance.
This panel will explore arts
readiness and seeks input from individual artists and arts organizations across
the spectrum of planning, disaster response, and recovery.
Session Chair: Greg
Shelnutt, Clemson University.
Contact: gshelnu@clemson.edu
PAPER PROPOSALS DEADLINE:
APRIL 20, 2016. MIDNIGHT,
EDT