day one hundred and six - artsholes
There is an industry that makes a huge contribution culturally and economically to Australia. It is one that nourishes the mind and body like no other. One that promotes the best of humanity. One that if the first to be called on for support in times of crisis. One that provides so much to the everyday lives of our community. No prizes for guessing I’m talking about the arts.
So many hard working, dedicated people who give their all, stuck in a gig economy, often with little to no benefits, where so many live from gig to gig, without the job security enjoyed by so many. But when national institutions like the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has stood down their musicians, you can see it’s affecting artists across the board.
And it’s not just the artists. There are SO many others affected; from venues and owners, to recording studios and sound technicians, retailers and suppliers, support staff and hospitality etc.
The arts, particularly the performance arts were one of the industries that were first and hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns. Usually, we’re the first to arrive, last to leave. Now, a huge segment of the arts sector are the first to be shutdown, and likely to be the last to resume.
“…cultural and creative activity contributed $111.7 billion to Australia’s economy in 2016-17.”
“This equates to 6.4% of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016-17.”
Bureau of Communications and Arts Research - 19 October 2018
All this; an enormous contribution to culture and the economy, yet it is getting left high and dry.
It’s the ‘it’ll be great exposure’ mindset. The same one that pays the people who work in the cafeteria serving drinks and popcorn at interval, but doesn’t pay (or at least not adequately) the musicians working in the pit. The one that thinks that artists choose their ‘career path’ as a mere hobby, a lifestyle - a luxury.
These are the same people who would then go, listen to the radio on the drive home, watch a movie, stream Spotify etc. The same that say ‘stay at home, watch Netflix and save the world’. The same that see jigsaws as essential, but ignore the artist that created it.
It’s obvious that we need to have measures in place to protect our communities from transmitting this virus. It’s clear that we can’t have festivals and gigs in the way that we’re used to. But it should be equally obvious that this industry is in dire trouble and desperately needs help.
But when that help was proposed as an amendment to the Jobkeeper payments by the Shadow Minister for the Arts it was rejected… 27 - 24… by these politicians, including the Minister for the Arts (and communications, and cyber safety)!;
Allen, K
Andrews, KJ
Archer, BK
Chester, D
Coulton, M
Drum, DK (teller)
Falinski, JG
Fletcher, PW - Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts
Flint, NJ (teller)
Frydenberg, JA
Gee, AR
Hunt, GA
Leeser, J
Ley, SP - Member for Farrer - (my local electorate)
Martin, FB
McCormack, MF
McIntosh, MI
Morrison, SJ - Prime Minister
Morton, B
O'Brien, LS
Porter, CC
Robert, SR
Sharma, DN
Sukkar, MS
Tehan, DT
Tudge, AE
van Manen, AJ
Wilson, TR
Zimmerman, T
So yes. I’m angry. Really bloody angry. Angry that the industry I love and have dedicated my life to is being brought to its knees. Angry that so many of my friends and colleagues have had their livelihoods completely pulled out from under them - with no support. And it’s really that last part that matters. Artists throughout the nation were holding their breath, and were then collectively let down by people I’m now naming Artsholes.
You may think this is clearly a political post, but only if you look on the surface. This is about a huge part of our society being overlooked, yet again. Personally this takes a huge toll on my mental health, and I know from many conversations I’ve had with fellow artists, it’s taking its toll on them too.
It’s all too easy to take the art and culture that surrounds us for granted, especially now that so much of it is more accessible than ever. It is being consumed, binged and undervalued. Please though, spare more than a passing thought for the people behind the art, because they, we, I am suffering.
I know this is a long entry, but I’ll leave you with a facebook post from Eddie Perfect, which really sums up the sentiment. (slightly ammended for language)
Anyone else in the arts sector feeling completely invisible? What is happening? This article talks about the government’s bail out package missing large portions of the workforce- including people on foreign temporary visas- but no mention of film, tv, theatre, live music, music festivals, comedians, dancers, opera, cabaret, circus arts, burlesque... etc etc.
"We know that, for example, the retail sector, the hospitality and the tourism sectors have been pretty badly hit. In that case, at $1500 a fortnight, that's about equivalent to a replacement wage for those workers."
…What about live theatre, film and tv, music, Live entertainment? Our industry hasn’t just slowed, it has vanished.
How are we so completely unseen??What do we have to do, how many charitable causes do we have to support, how much more cash do we need to add to Australia’s GDP (it’s already $111.7bn per year), how many more black and white statistics clearly showing that more Australians engage with arts and culture in Australia than all the sporting codes put together, how many international ambassadorships, panels and advisory groups, how many more sung national anthems, foyer walk throughs, step and repeats, radio station IDs, how many “this musical is going to add significant revenue to Victoria’s/NSW’s bottom line in tourism/hospitality revenue for years to come”, how many more folks saying “I was going crazy in the lockdown but I binge watched all seven series of Offspring”- a show that employed hundreds of Aussie writers, actors, directors, operators, technicians and crew and which is IMPOSSIBLE in the current pandemic, how many more “my little boy/girl loves you on playschool and it would mean the world if you could send them a message?” (always a pleasure, of course, but then we have to read/hear the daily attacks on the ABC because I’m sure it’s the clowns on sky news that sick kids want a video message from and not Justine Clarke, right?), can you write a song for our charity? (Yes) Can you post on your socials about this cause? (Yes)
How much more do artists and The Arts need to do to prove we contribute? No one wants a purple cross- artists help because they exist and they have the privilege to help- but does that not mean that they are seen? How else do we need to communicate that artists are a vital part of what it means to be Australian, what it means to laugh or cry or think occasionally? What it means to rock out, or chill out, or simply not be bored out of out collective minds in the midst of a global pandemic? What do artists have to do- having just stood up for Aussies (human and animal) who lost everything in those terrible fires- to have our country stand up for them? To acknowledge them? To help out those in the arts whose livelihood has completely vanished?
I mean, what is it? Is it the word “artist”? Is that what sounds superfluous and gross? Is it the word “arts” that makes us cringe?
Then think about the hardworking crew on the set of the TV show you love, day in day out lugging lights from 5.30am til late in the evening. Think about the hundreds of comedians who we get to enjoy this time of year, rushing from show to show, taking up late night spots, working hard to push their careers down the track at one of the world’s most important showcases for talent- The Melbourne comedy festival- not making much cash (on average they lose money) but growing something that maybe, just maybe will pay off down the line. Think of the script writers, the camera operators, focus pullers, riggers, costume designers, producers... all the hundreds, thousands of folks who make a living in “the arts” and who now need some help. Not because they’re heroes (they are) but because they’re Australian and they exist and they deserve it.And then of course there’s nothing like having to rant about your worth to make you feel worthless.
… these are shitty times for everyone. Don’t make it shittier for artists and arts workers by ignoring us. ‘Cause we all know we’re the first ones folks come to when they want meaning, joy, distraction, perspective, release, engagement, a “name” for their event/cause/charity/initiative, some fun, or just something to do.
A job is a job.Eddie Perfect
Kilt of the day - Ross Modern Hunting Tartan
Soundtrack of the day - What about me? - Snarky Puppy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuhHU_BZXSk
(you didn’t really think I’d use the Moving Pictures song covered by Shannon Noll did you?)
Cranky Soundtrack of the day - I’m an Asshole -Dennis Leary (uncensored)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrgpZ0fUixs
Link of the days - Hansard - House of Representatives transcript - 8/4/2020
https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/chamber/hansardr/247e20e8-7bbe-4712-afcb-c8833dc6a228/toc_pdf/House%20of%20Representatives_2020_04_08_7666.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf
Government votes down motion to create a stimulus package for arts and entertainment sector - NME
https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/government-votes-down-motion-to-create-a-stimulus-package-for-arts-and-entertainment-sector-2643117?fbclid=IwAR2iz83wpWkjDFGJGjRUTLT1gdoKP0hb7NNqB4CuzJ1nnf_Q0MJo_zyO-vs
Struggling Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 'stands down' all musicians - The Age 14/4/2020
https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/struggling-melbourne-symphony-orchestra-stands-down-all-musicians-20200414-p54jso.html
