Supporting ARTS

Commentary April 1987

SUPPORTING ARTS

When does the organization give fair and proper exposure to the artist?

by Joy Krauthammer

Why is it that the visual artist is charged a fee for displaying art, when a dance troupe is hired and paid hundreds of dollars to perform, or a theatre ensemble is paid to perform, or even a political or religious speaker is paid to speak? Why are the names of exhibiting artists left off of the same programs that include the names of the performing artists at many cultural events? Why do press releases for special events fail to include the visual artists that are part of a performance or event? This subtle form of discrimination does nothing to nurture our artists.

On the other hand, the visual artist-- the painter, photographer, sculptor, or the weaver, is continually called on and 'used' to assist and benefit organizations. Visual art is 'used' to market services, raise funds, and to reach out and attract audiences, often unaffiliated, to programs. The ARTS are used as a connection to the community for their sense of culture, they cross denominations in faith, and they break through cultural barriers by reaching common hearts and souls.

The difference is that the dancer, the actor and the band are paid...

the visual artist is usually charged...

When does the organization give fair and proper exposure to the artist who is not only helping their programs, but also enhancing our environment with imagery from years of inspirational history? When does the artist get "fair share?"

Specifically, if an organization is going to pay the dancer, the actor, or pay the band, it should pay the visual artist. The organization should not use the fee from the artist to pay for the band, as is too often the rule. The dancer is paid, and hopes to be hired by others because of his/her performance.  The same is true for the actor and the band.  The artist hopes to sell some art. The difference is that the dancer, the actor and the bad are paid to be there. The visual artist is usually charged! Is this right? Is this proper? Is this the correct thing to do?

It is not only from obligation that we should support the artist or that we should support something called 'culture.' "We celebrate the arts because from them we can live and without them we can not endure." This was dramatically portrayed recently in "Ghetto" at LA's Music Center's, Mark Taper Forum.

How can businesses and organizations meet the challenge to support ARTS and artists?

The finest caliber of artist exists in Los Angeles. There are many artists who do and who want to express their culture, race, faith, and their spirituality through their art. Many can't because there is a lack of support, which must be given to the artist if art is to be created and be here for us to enjoy.

Let's acknowledge that our artists, with their special gifts of cultural expression, are here today to nourish us.  The ARTS and the artist can be supported, and we, and our organizations will be better for it.  Let's perform their works. Let's exhibit and purchase their art. Let's hire them to teach. Let's showcase their talent. Let's encourage the artist to express their consciousness for the continuity of our cultures.

Let's budget and donate money for scholarships, awards and shows. Let's plan, schedule and fund art lectures, workshops and conferences to stimulate creation of original drama, dance, music, film, poetry and art. Let's make a priority for initiating cultural arts committees within our own synagogues, centers, and organizations. Let's network and assist those already functioning to attain an even high quality of arts programming for us.

Let's enhance our newsletters by including works or design by our local artists instead of over-used clip art. Give copyright credit to artist! Let's advocate arts by promoting and publicizing events in media other than our own organization's membership newsletter. This not only serves the artist, giving proper visibility and recognition, but also brings outside attendance and potential new members. The entire community gains by becoming more aware of our history, heritage, culture and our artists.

Business can demonstrate their responsibility. Businesses can recognize that they have interests and obligations in the community where they do business. When an artistic event is scheduled and the advertising budget needs support, a business can underwrite by paying for the advertising by its ads out of its own much larger advertising budget, making the difference between a sparsely attended or a well attended ARTS event. At the same time a business can get ARTS public recognition as a sponsor in the ads. There is also probably a non-profit tax deduction available to the business.

Instead of charging an artist to display at an event, gathering in fees in a discriminatory way, business can sponsor each artist's booth. It's a small cost to a business; a big cost to the artist. Both gain and both should be recognized in the supporting ads, press releases and the official program of the event.

As a result we all will gain; the artist, organization, and the community, by being able to better know of and enjoy, with our hearts, minds, and souls, the fruits of an artist's imagination and creation.

~ ~ ~

Jacob Neusner said, in his keynote address at the national conference held in Los Angeles on Art and Identity in the America Jewish Community, "We are Jews by reason of imagination. Our inner vision, our power to create out of the resources of heart and mind and soul - from these sources of intellect and sensibility alone flow our sense of individual self and society, the Jewish people. The artist is the guardian of the imagination, in all its power and integrity: the sages of our day, the unacknowledged legislator of our future."

Supporting ARTS by Joy Krauthammer

Published:  Jewish Calendar Magazine  April 1987 
RePublished:  Herald Tribune Syndicated Internationally  1987

Reprinted:  Reprinted, retitled:  University of Judaism Magazine  Direction, April/May 1987, Vol.18, No.4,  "But Does It Go With The Drapes?"

Published:  Platt Gallery, Strategic Plan ~ To Preserve and Energize the ARTS in Los Angeles into the 21st Century, 
 1994.  Joy Krauthammer, MBA


In response to "Skinny Artist" essay, Supporting ARTs is reprinted in FB Nov. 7, 2013:

Friends, I republished essay*, "Supporting ARTS", because I saw the topic raised today by Skinny Artist. "...trend of forcing artists and writers to pay in order to have their work considered?" 
(What do you think?)

* http://joys-prose.blogspot.com/2006/11/supporting-arts.html