In Search for the Voice of Visual Artists

A common assumption shared between professionals and academics alike is that no trade union exists for the visual arts in the UK. The Musicians’ Union, The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and Equity are a few well known examples of unions in other copyright industries. However, when contemplating visual artists’ representation, one is more likely to think of DACS, the Design and Artists’ Collecting Society, which actively engages in copyright policy debates and regularly submits consultation responses to the Intellectual Property Office. Alternatively, one would consider AIR (Artists’ Interaction and Representation) or the information-rich web resource a-n.

Until 2001, it would have been factually accurate to claim that unlike the music, publishing or audio-visual industries, the visual arts sector in the UK lacked a trade union of its own. In 2001, however, the Scottish Artists Union (SAU) was formally constituted and in August 2013 its membership reached 1000. This is still a considerably low figure, particularly given the wide range of artistic work which falls under the ambit of the visual arts – from paintings, photographs, illustrations and cartoons to sculptures, ceramics, textiles and jewellery (to name a few).

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Image dedicated to the public domain by Nemo

This relatively low figure could in part be explained by the fact that membership to the SAU is only open to artists who live and work in Scotland, including artists whose work is temporarily based there as part of an extended arts project exceeding 6 months. Furthermore, candidates need to demonstrate a portfolio of professional artistic practice in order to join the SAU. At the same time, comparatively low levels of membership could also be due to artists’ unfamiliarity with this relatively new organisation. A witty FAQ on the SAU website is indicative of the uncertainty among potential members when it asks ‘Is the SAU a proper Trades Union or is ‘Union’ just a name?’

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Image dedicated to the public domain by stux

Nevertheless, the establishment of this organisation and its work programme seem to be a positive step forward given the general state of artists’ representation in the visual arts. In 2011, AIR and a-n conducted what they described as the ‘largest ever artists’ survey’, receiving 1457 responses from a wide range of UK based artists who were at various stages of their artistic careers.

According to the survey results artists felt that they were not sufficiently represented within the decision-making bodies involved in culture. With regard to their professional development, more than three quarters of all respondents indicated their need for assistance in identifying funding and resources for their projects, obtaining good practice documents, as well as meeting and networking with other artists, commissioners and curators. These are services which are typically provided by trade unions or other professional associations which represent the interests of creators.

Thirty per cent of the survey respondents went on to highlight other types of services that they had needed over the last 12 months, including financial advice but also advice pertaining to studio licences, contracts, copyright and other matters. This clearly highlights creators’ want for expert assistance in navigating the visual arts industry.

The need for more artists’ representation is something AIR had already picked up on and made the focus of further research, including research into international artist representation. AIR launched a Representation Working Group which engaged with the organisation’s members on the topics of collective organisation. Going through the published responses proved to be particularly insightful. Some artists defined representation as the process through which the value of the artistic profession and skills should be translated into policy and action. In line with this, respondents also highlighted the benefits of having access to experience and support through established networks.

Yet, from my perspective, one contributor in particular was able to accurately capture the inner conflict and perhaps uneasiness confronting many artists when it comes to collective action:

‘…even though I feel quite qualified to say what I think artists need I also feel acutely aware of the implications of speaking for others because we artists like to represent ourselves. Being in charge of how we define ourselves and our practices is central to making art, it goes hand in hand with determining what kind of work we do.’ Susan Diab

This should not, however, be taken to mean that artists do not need advice and guidance. On the contrary, the AIR survey clearly identified a gap in the provision of such services and this gap needs to be filled. In light of this, the creation of the SAU is a commendable endeavour.

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Image available under CC BY 2.0 by Summer Skyes 11

Still, noting Susan Diab’s words, it would be exciting to investigate how this body tackles the challenge of representing visual artists and unifying the voices of many to produce a single powerful tone.