A fine line...

Chatting with a friend the other day, they were talking about several projects they are currently involved in. All 'incubation' type projects, and all without a fee for the artist.

With funding (in real terms) decreasing for our dance companies (and the recent loss of Danceworks) the need for other 'structures' or organisations to provide opportunities for dance artists to develop their craft has never been more important. But at what point do we insist that an artist be paid?

I am not criticising the new initiatives that we are seeing (thus the title...a fine line). People in the arts work hard. These opportunities are being squeezed out of a stone, by the passionate and the committed. But it is a fair question...and I don't expect the answer to be black and white.

When is it reasonable for a funded organisation to create unpaid opportunities for artists. Do these connections lead on to further work? Or are we just happy with being given space and time to make?

What are the boundaries...an artist should receive a fee when....

One of the best things organisations can do when they provide these opportunities is clearly articulate all of the benefits that the participants receive. This helps balance out the question of money.

However...

Bottom line is, we all want to get paid...

Cheers

Luke

I want to dance forever...

Or 'the window part 2'

SCOPE - for the life of dance - is a new program being set up by Ausdance, the Australia Council for the arts, the Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Sports Commission.

In a nut shell its a professional development program for dancers based on a model used for elite athletes. (yes it is paid for, ie its free for you to do, if you get selected)

An information session was held in Melbourne the other night, their are 25 places and they have had about 100 people register to get more information. Id like to see the number tripled!

This program is not about the dreaded 't' word (transition). This idea sends me into a bit of a tail spin. if I'm not working full time as a 'dancer' then I have to leave altogether?

The reality for most of us is that we have broad interests and ways of supporting our creative practice. What is exciting is that this program is set up to support dance artists on that journey. Some people may wish to leave the form, but most (or at least 50%, says scope) want to find ways to stay engaged with the form that they love, dance.

The SCOPE program encourages dancers to plan now for changes or shifts later so that you are skilled up and doing things that you love and are good at. It is testimony to the work of those involved, particularly Ausdance, and I think the more people who apply the more evidence that the program is needed.

I also think it can be a part of the bigger picture of keeping those who have a passion for dance engaged with dance, even if they shift in their career path (see my posting 'dancers in high places').

So how do you apply?
Apply here


Applications close Friday 16 February 2007

What are you waiting for?

Complete the circle

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your grant application there are several things that you can do.
you can apply again later
you can be upset about other people who got the money
you can be disheartened and give up
the list goes on....

However...

There is one thing that you can do that has the potential to have a long term impact. You can book a meeting with your local Member of Parliament and tell them all about it.
I know it seems radical.
But you just call them and do it, it's called democracy, they have to listen you are their electorate!

So what do you say?
You need to tell them whatever your concerns are. Tell them about your project. Tell them why it matters to you, why it is important to society. Most importantly tell them that the only solution is to increase the funding for dance.

This completes the circle. The government gives funding to the arts, the artists give feedback to the government on their
funding policies.

Will it make a difference? Only if we do it. And then only maybe if lots of us do it. One thing is certain, it is more productive than being upset about not getting funded.

The goal is not to attack. The goal is to create an advocate for dance. We can do this by communicating our genuine passion, commitment and belief in what we do.

maybe...just maybe....

The Window

Their is a window of time for any artist to make their work. This window seems particularly finite for dance artists. All of us are at the mercy of our mortality. As the body ages what can be asked of it changes too. This is of course ironic, as the knowledge of years of work accumulates, the facility to express that knowledge deteriorates.

This is not to say that we should buy into the cult of youth, I love watching dance artists of any age. It is just to acknowledge the facts. The window is short and we have to take advantage of that time. We have to make sure that we support our artists to produce their work, and we have to take care of them once they are finished performing.

This transition idea is a difficult one. How can we build skills in dancers that will support them throughout their career? Can these transitions happen within the dance community? Can we find areas in the broader community that need the skills that dance artists accumulate?

An oxymoron

Mainstream contemporary dance

It does happen. My favourite example at the moment is the ok go film clip for "Here it goes again"

http://boss.streamos.com/qtime/capi001/okgo/
hereitgoesagain/video/hereitgoesagain_v300.mov


and “A Million Ways” Dance
http://boss.streamos.com/qtime/capi001/okgo/
amillionways/video/amillionways_v750.mov

You have to see these.

Im sure you have other examples and would love to see you post them here.

Dancers in high places

We need to cultivate our 'expat' dance artists into a network of powerful voices to advocate for the form.

It is such a shame that we lose these people once they decide that dance is not the long term career they may have dreamed of. This may happen early (in their teens) or later (after graduation, several years into a career) but for some reason the connection with the form is often lost.

So how do we change this?

Alumni.

We need to create a powerful dance Alumni. We can model it on the university system. A group of people who, because of their past contact with dance (the parameters should be very broad) are invited to join the contemporary dance alumni. The 'club' would give access to shows, events, artists, workshops etc that feed the passion for the form. The pay off would be a group of passionate advocates who operate outside the dance community. Placing contemporary dance within the context of the broader community.

Double or nothing

I want to invite you to participate in the 'double or nothing' initiative. The theatre board of the australia council currently receives double the applications that the dance board receives, not surprisingly it has about double the budget and twice as many people are successfull in getting funding.

You do the math!

So, simply put, we need to double the number of applications going to the dance fund at the Australia Council for the arts.

By making noise in this way you can do something positive for the long term health of dance as an artform. The application process, even if you are not sucessfull, is a fantastic way to refine your ideas and focus your practice.

The more applications you do the faster you get at them!

So apply now!

NOW!