Ute Weiss Leder

Artist, Berlin

In the present letter, many questions that you address to artists deal with the circumstances in institutions for cultural mediation and political committees, but fewer, however, with the everyday working lives of artists. The idea of an agreement, of a »social contract« for artists, is formulated. What obligations would arise for artists as a result of such a contract? Security or dependency?

Artists first and foremost require an income that makes living and artistic production possible for them. Whether the money comes from cooperation with galleries or through project funding, grants, side jobs, and private or social support is less important for the individual. What are important are good infrastructural conditions in the most varied areas of production. In order to maintain and develop them, artists need the support of cultural institutions and associations, and, of course, of cultural politicians. This was the basic idea behind the open letter »Haben und Brauchen,« which sought to stimulate dialogue with its demands.

And since artists, in my opinion, have no defined status in society, they, like everyone else, should have a say in determining and creating the conditions for responsible action, and demand them from politics when necessary.

Cultural institutions, naturally, need security in planning—there the state, the city, the district is called for. And, naturally, the individual artist is also situated within this system, which means that a basis for occupational security can only be guaranteed through reciprocal consultation between visual artists, representatives of institutions, and cultural politicians with a broad public attention. We see the consequences when as in the past years, a lack of urban development policy and austerity measures in the districts have allowed institutions in the area of culture to wither. This results in the concrete damage to the conditions for living and working as an artist, including the need for studios and social dependence.

In this connection, the question of an increased engagement of commercial galleries in the »non-profit« area is also not really relevant for artists. The task of galleries is first and foremost to develop their artists and in the courage to take up unknown positions and present them internationally, which, of course, involves networking in the »non-profit« area.

Cooperation is called for, but not the service of artists to institutions or the service of art to politics.

Source: P/Act for Art: Berlin Biennale Zeitung