People present in this group: Kobe, Justine, Sonia, Mary, Raf, Esther, Marie-Louise

Introduction to the Almanac trajectory of last year 2021 + themes

Fair practice also used by many other organisations now and also by public.

Which topics have we forgotten?

Esther: juist is juist is very good, not many artists find their way to the site. It should be more available and accessible for artists, so they find their way. Problem of cancellation fees: still many organisations don’t pay, even if they cancel one day in advance, even though they have the money. Esther would like to work around this and is involved in some email communication (music side) She proposes a meeting with varied actors in the field. There should be a clause in the contracts, which should be more general and less random.

It became a habbit to sign contracts only a week in advance. In small towns it’s often the major who decides, if there should be a cancellation fee or not.

It can be broader than just the music sector.

Esther (Muzieksgilde): Juist is Juist by oko not many artists are knowing about cancelation is random at this moment in the music how to make a clause that works for everyone? small orgnisations can’t afford cancellation fees

Marie-Louise: fair practice also in contracts. how to put in right formulations into contracts around cancelation.

Justine: artists should also raise the issue of cancelation before sign the contract

Mary: as artists we are waiting for contracts by organisations.

https://www.juistisjuist.be/

Marie-Louise: We need to rethink how both the cultural worker and the organization have to be open for dialogue we make contracts, it has to come from both parties. It is important to empower the cultural worker and create awareness about the importance of a good contract.

Is there a formulation for a good contract or culture? https://www.cultuurloket.be/kennisbank/contracteren/contracteren-een-introductie en https://youtu.be/tk_TaSQhohM

It’s a growing process. From not having made contracts to understanding how important it is. It’s important to sign a contract as otherwise there is no evidence of agreement. A law by Vandenbroucke won’t help, but it’s important that it’s not the artists only that need to push forward for contracts, but clear “laws” from organisations, Oko, policy makers.

https://caveat.be/

empowerment of the artists to inform themselves about better and more fairer contracts.

Justine: also in relation to Engagement certain parts of text can be included inside contracts

Who’s taking the role of informing people and empowering young makers, artists in education? Contracts can be very creative and specific to personal needs. For non-abled bodies, against harrassment.

https://www.engagementarts.be

Raf: Protection of ideas and projects against the fiscal services of the state Would it be an idea to protect a project and give to the state as a public service? By principle defender of public services, the state is breaking down public services. What would it be to turn the roles around and protect our work, projects as public services?

How to do this concretely?

A particular form of an enterprise? asbl, societe anonymee… maybe there is room for another type of activity with a particular statute that says what i’m doing, etc. is a public service. according to a legal definition

Kobe: An intresting discussion in the fine arts is now the discussion on the New Commissioners. New Commissions is a protocol for commissions made by groups of people (not the state and not individuals). it tries to open a discussion on the publicness of arts, nor by the state, nor by private individuals. An intresting new book about this expierience is: “Reclaiming Art Reshaping Democracy, The New patrons & Participatory Art” book about new commissions]

Raf: It comes from a practical situation. We’re getting subsidies and in the end half of the subsidies flow back to the state. If subsidy than free of taxes and protects through a new form.

Kobe: The Kiwi model in New Zealand. The state recognises varies forms of labor that is not paid via a classic salary. It is a way of recognizing invisible (like working grants, rehearsals, etc…) and forms of unpaid labour (like residencies, etc…) by the state for social security (as pension, health, etc..).

Marie-Louise: What to implement in fair practises: Invisible work should be made more visible so that you can ask a fair pay for the work you do. We have to be more transparant when we negatiate. Organizations about what they pay, how they cancel and the cultural worker in what work they do.

Sonia: Very small income with cultural workers, it’s still important to contribute to legal state systems as it gives you a lot of access to different services (artist status for example)

First you pay 21 % VAT and then you pay 50 % to the state. That’s not fair. Artists contribute a lot to the state, if they make contracts etc.

Money needs to be increased. Budgets, fees, payments. Why art work shouldn’t be public service? It’s important to be paid, so you have access to different status, like just being a citizen. Question of sensibilation. Like the farmers, artists produce the work and are paid the worst. A lot of money sticks with the middleman. Farm: Suupermarket Art: Art institution

Artist is also working all the time, like the sallaried worker in an art institution.

Kobe: Are there any other topics: mobility, transperancy in sponsoring, circular mechanisms of economy, recycling, etc…

Mary: Bridging work, someone who is in education together with someone who is already in work. Bridging moment. More platforms for people who enter a market, competitions or payed residencies for those who learn how to navigate in the field. Maybe also different type of contract at the beggining, with less tax - for a year, like now the visa possibility for non European students - they can have it prolonged after finishing studies

Marilyne: Usually i work through Smart activity. How to make a contract, what do you write on it. Should be taught in school, plus also smart etc. many contracts are already made in advance. If you work with mediating institution like SMart they make up standard contracts. That helps already but is standard. I have now a problem with Commune Forest, they did’t refund yet an advancement of costs. I wait for refund. Sallaried people are often late in paying. How can this be?

Galleries should pay artists for exhibiton (visual arts) things are starting to change in France. (https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Thematiques/Arts-plastiques/Actualites-du-reseau/La-remuneration-du-droit-de-presentation-publique)