is grateful does not staff or board. 14 –

is indexed by Alternative Press by Alternative Press is indexed ’s list of subscribers is FUSE Modern, and ARTbibliographies Index and is distributed by Magazines Canada and Ubiquity +1 +1 (416) 504-0274 FUSE 875-5491. (718) for the many hours of volunteer and modestly paid labour performed by those listed on our masthead, in table of contents and elsewhere. Inc. All Copyright © Artons Publishing permission rights reserved. For requests contact Access Copyright Artons +1 (800) 893-5777. First North purchases Publishing American Serial Rights and/or Limited ElectronicNonexclusive copyright revertsand Rights, to the writer after publication. A copy of our Submission Guidelines is available on of an our website. Publication advertisement in FUSE imply endorsement of the advertiser by the magazine. Opinions expressed outside of specifically marked editorials are not necessarily held by members of FUSE FUSE occasionally shared with like-minded organizations to do one- time informational mailings. Please to becontact us if you would prefer mailings. from such excluded Mail Agreement No. Publications 40022164 Registration No. 8623 / ISSN0838- 603X

1 / DO LESS 2013 / Winter –

is published quarterly by Artons CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Randy Lee (Toronto), Anthea Black Andrea Fatona Cutler (Vancouver), (Boston), Freeman Lucas (Toronto), Fung Richard (Vancouver), Amy Fung Janna Graham (London (Toronto), Richard UK), Gita Hashemi (Toronto), Michelle Hill (Toronto), William Ashok Mathur Jacques (Vancouver), Milena (Vancouver/Kamloops), Rodney Lee Placentile (Winnipeg), (Windsor), Denise(Vancouver), Ryner (Toronto) Jessica Wyman ADVISORY BOARD Jake Hirsch-Allen Kingstone Peter Clive Robertson Arianne Schaffer c. smith charles FOUNDING EDITORS Clive Robertson Sherman Tom Lisa Steele FUSE SocietyCultural Affairs and Publishing Inc., a non-profit artists’ organization incorporated in 1984. All inquiries and return of undeliverables to the following address: 454-401 Street West Richmond ON M5V 3A8 Canada Toronto EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: +1 (416) 340-8026 in Canada by Webnews. Printed FUSE MAGAZINE 37 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Akiyama Mitchell Irfan Ali Salma Al Atassi Natalie Kouri-Towe Robyn Lew Skye Maule-O’Brien Julie Nagam Coco Riot Sara Rozenberg Ambereen Siddiqui Anni Spadafora Maryam Taghavi Carmen Victor STAFF Editorial Director Gina Badger Graphic Designers Mirjam Linschooten Sameer Farooq Advertising Manager Chandra Bulucon Copyeditor & proofreader Sara Rozenberg EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Alison Cooley Granados Francisco-Fernando Reena Katz Lee Yaniya Steve Loft Sarah Mangle Nahed Mansour Rodrigo Marti c. smith charles Brett Story Timmins Leila turions cheyanne

is

FUSE has endured

EDITORIAL Gina Badger, Editorial Director and Publisher Editorial Director Gina Badger, — archive will be available cost-free on the World Wide Web, offering offering Web, Wide on the World will be available cost-free archive on behalf of the Board of Directors and Editorial Committee of Directors on behalf of the Board FUSE With this special-issue bulletin, we at FUSE With have embraced the motto “Do Less labour-side contents of this issue present perspectives on austerity from The materials frame our occasion that FUSEThese to inform you, dear readers, The content going back to our first issue in 1976. The commemorative issue will The commemorative issue will to our first issue in content going back 1976. FUSE with Less.” Along with our peer organizations within Along with our peer organizations artist-run with Less.” culture, underfunding for many years. Of the long-term effects of underfunding, most chronic self-censorship and a loss of institutional memory. burnout, organizational morbid are Rather than attempt to keep up appearances under these conditions, we offer you a the modest resources issue of the magazine, with modest materials to match pared-down it. we have to produce essay was collectively written and edited inside the artist-run sector in Canada. Our feature some of the most and curators from by an anonymous, temporary collective of directors between begin by outlining the relationship They in Toronto. active artist-run centres self-censorship in the arts and conservative fiscal policies and social values, end with on a structural level within the sector. change grassroots for proactive, a prescription Accompanying the essay is a new version of Ladies’ Invitational Deadbeat Society poster DO LESS WITH LESS / DO MORE WITH MORE (2012), a a dualism that expresses of help combat the spread demand of austerity policies. To of a core no-nonsense refusal Brigade’s the Precarious Workers a letter adapted from unpaid internships, we present toolkit, specifically for the Canadian (and Quebecois) context. careful planning and consultationcoming to a close. After much with our elders, we have conditions. under current come to the conclusion that this is no longer a viable project planning a very special year with some dramatic shifts in this in mind, we are With what we a quarterly magazine, instead focusing our we will not be producing do. Most significantly, be to a commemorative issue of the magazine on two exciting projects: time and energy published in September 2014, and the development of an accessible web-based archive of on our planned editorial themes for volume include newly commissioned art and research and Indigenous Nationhood movements; Pan-Africanism;Idle No More and HIV/ the 37: AIDS In addition, we will be working with a host of collaborators to select materialglobally. we then, alongside the new commissions. Between now and to reprint our archives from and extra media goodies on our website. reviews will be publishing regular to work with you. If you would like to be involved in this celebratory process, or if you have to work with you. If you would like be involved in this celebratory process, with us about at FUSE anything you want to share the changes , get in touch! you. always happy to hear from are We a fully indexed resource on some of those most significant moments in the history of a fully indexed resource and the for the archive planning launches currently are contemporary Canadian art. We commemorative issue to take the country in fall of 2014, place across and we’d love

Colour, In Theory / 14 January 25 - May 4, 2014 – 2013 POLITICS / CULTURE / 1 WINTER

à Austerity and artist-run culture Varley Art Gallery of Markham à No-nonsense motto against neoliberalism 216 Main Street Unionville, Markham ON L3R 2H1 à Unpaid internships USD ART

VarleyGallery.ca • 905-477-7000 ext. 3261 / [email protected] VarleyGallery 5.00 CAD FUSE MAGAZINE 37–

PLUS! A very special announcement

Printed from the FUSE in Canada on Indigenous land staff and board

Colour, in Theory-8x10-25.indd 1 07/11/2013 1:44:46 PM advertising unpaid internships

Hello,

We notice that you have recently advertised an unpaid internship. We understand the pressures

that publicly funded non-profit arts organizations such as yours are under. We salute you for taking

the time and effort to mentor and train people wanting to work in the arts sector.

However, we are concerned that by not paying people, only those who can afford to work for free cordialement,

will be able to benefit from your internship scheme. As internships are becoming more prevalent than entry-level jobs, those who are unable to take up these unpaid opportunities are less likely to collaboration, votre sur compter pouvoir espérant en et attention votre de remerciant vous En

enter the sector. These positions negatively impact the value of all labour in the arts, and make it

harder to fight for adequate working conditions in the cultural sector. consulter. à invitons vous nous que sujet, ce à liens plusieurs (fusemagazine.org/2013/12/interns)

approche plus équitable auprès de vos stagiaires. Le magazine FUSE offre sur son site site son sur offre FUSE magazine Le stagiaires. vos de auprès équitable plus approche

This is far from an equitable labour practice. Demonstrating such unfair employment practices also nouvelle une développer à aider vous de afin vous à s’offrent d’informations sources nombreuses

seems to contradict your gallery/centre/organization’s role in the arts milieu. Artist-run centres in De organisation. votre de sein au rémunérés non stages des d’offrir fait du éthique l’aspect Quebec/Canada have a long-standing history of fighting for artists’ rights, including the payment of d’examiner demandons vous et situation, cette à attention prêter saurez vous que espérons Nous

artist fees and advocacy around the value of cultural work. It is only logical that the recognition of

artistic labour and support for fair working conditions should apply to all cultural workers, including l’exploitation. encouragent qui Template for a letter to art institutions Template

the staff of arts organizations. économiques conditions des perpétuer à contribuer de lieu au équitables, travail de pratiques de

invitons à réfléchir aux manières dont une organisation comme la vôtre pourrait devenir un modèle modèle un devenir pourrait vôtre la comme organisation une dont manières aux réfléchir à invitons Modèle de lettre à l’intention des institutions artistiques

In Quebec/Canada we have been avoiding important conversations around artistic labour and vous nous dit, étant Ceci carrière. notre péril en mettre de ou déranger de crainte par communauté,

precarity. Perhaps the situation feels less urgent in light of our particular funding structures, or we notre de taille petite la de raison en censurons-nous nous Peut-être situation. la de l’urgence

are censoring ourselves because the community is small and we are worried about upsetting sous-estimer à amenés aient nous financement de structures nos que peut se Il précarité. la de et

people or endangering our own jobs and future opportunities. Nonetheless, we encourage you to artistique travail du autour importantes discussions ces ignoré avons nous Québec/Canada, Au

think about how an organization like yours might act as a model for equitable labour practices, rather

than contributing to economic conditions that encourage exploitation. artistiques. organismes des personnel

équitables devraient s’appliquer à l’ensmble des travailleur-euse-s culturel-le-s, incluant le le incluant culturel-le-s, travailleur-euse-s des l’ensmble à s’appliquer devraient équitables

We wanted to flag this and ask you to consider the ethics of offering unpaid internships in your travail de conditions des pour soutien le et artistique travail du reconnaissance la Logiquement,

organization. There is a lot of information out there that might help you develop a new and more culturel. travail du valeur la de défense la et d’artistes cachets de paiement le incluant artistes,

equitable approach to working with interns. FUSE Magazine has a number of links on their website des droits les pour lutte de histoire longue une ont Québec/Canada au autogérés d’artistes centres

(fusemagazine.org/2013/12/interns) with information and guidelines on this topic, and we encourage Les arts. des milieu le dans galerie/centre/organisation votre de rôle le contredire également

you to consult those. semble injustes pratiques ces à Recourir équitable. travail de pratique une pas constitue ne Ceci

We thank you for your attention to this matter, and hope that we can count on your collaboration. difficile. plus culturel secteur le dans travail de conditions meilleures de pour lutte la rendent et arts

Ces postes ont un effet pervers sur la valeur de l’ensemble du travail effectué dans le milieu des des milieu le dans effectué travail du l’ensemble de valeur la sur pervers effet un ont postes Ces

Sincerely, secteur. le pénétrer à nombreux moins seront bénévoles opportunités ces pour postuler de incapables

sont qui celles et ceux échelon, premier de emplois des celui dépassé a stages de nombre le que

Alors stages. de système votre de bénéficier pourront permettre le se peuvent qui personnes les

seules rémunération, de pas n’offrant en que, fait du préoccupé-e-s sommes nous Cependant,

former les personnes intéressées à intégrer le secteur artistique. secteur le intégrer à intéressées personnes les former

par un financement public comme le vôtre. Nous saluons vos efforts et le temps que vous dédiez à à dédiez vous que temps le et efforts vos saluons Nous vôtre. le comme public financement un par

conscient-e-s des pressions que ressentent les organismes artistiques sans but lucratif soutenus soutenus lucratif but sans artistiques organismes les ressentent que pressions des conscient-e-s Nous avons remarqué que vous avez récemment affiché un stage non rémunéré. Nous sommes sommes Nous rémunéré. non stage un affiché récemment avez vous que remarqué avons Nous

Mountain Standard Time Thanks to Anne Bertrand and Nicole Burisch is a Canadian Bonjour, curator, artist, critic and cultural Performative Art Festival from Stéphanie Chabot for their worker. Her research (with Anthea 2007 to 2009, and is currently encouragement and support. Black) into curatorial strategies for based in Montreal, where she works politically engaged craft practices as administrative coordinator at Translation to the French by is included in The Craft Reader Centre Skol. She occasionally Sophie Le-Phat Ho; French (Berg) and Extra/Ordinary: Craft makes collaborative performance copyediting by Edith Brunette

and Contemporary Art (Duke work as one-third of the Ladies’ University Press). Burisch worked Invitational Deadbeat Society and rémunérés non stages des affichent qui as the director of Calgary’s one-fourth of The Brick Factory.

leverages public opinion and loops back to venues and granting society. This is particularly striking in areas such as the price of bodies, in turn threatening their support and funding. This threat renting commercial space, which has increased exponentially Art, Austerity alone can impact the arts community through the preemptive without an increase in funding to offset the cost. With public self-censorship of both practising artists and artist-run centres. funding for the arts playing a significant role in the development This backhanded push towards censorship is just one element and structure of the sector, the condition of stagnation means that of a driving attack on the fundamental principles of arts funding for the most part, no currently funded organization can receive an and in Canada—designed as arm’s-length granting processes for increase and no new organization can enter the funding stream — artists, organizations and projects, juried by their peers. Media regardless of their programming excellence — without cuts to critiques directly produce the fear that by supporting potentially existing organizations. As part of the complex requirements controversial projects, artists and their institutions run the risk to enter the operating streams of funding, new organizations must the Production of feeding a neoliberal assault on public-sector arts funding. build significant capacity through project and other temporary In this current age of austerity those fears are real. funding programs, only to receive what is often less than what As governments worldwide are pressured to cut spending and they operated with on a project basis. simultaneously reduce revenues through tax cuts, we find Arts organizations are increasingly under pressure to of Fear ourselves in a downward spiral of austerity. It is not only funding pursue private sector sponsorship. While many organizations for the arts that is suffering under austerity — social housing, have shifted their models to attract corporate sponsorship and education, health care, income support and virtually all other to increase self-generated revenues, other projects have resisted programs are impacted. This is all part of a vast transfer of wealth change because it threatens their core mandate and values. to the richest in society, which is creating the highest level of Again, key to this discussion is how to ensure the independence income inequality seen since the 1930s in what was formerly the of the sector from censorship, because work that is truly messy, developed world. As people are reduced to taxpayers, a funda- radical or controversial (environmentalist, anticapitalist, mental break with notions of civil society and collective well-being abolitionist &c) is often unpalatable to corporate agendas. While is cemented — a permanent state of emergency sets in. spectacles like Luminato, Nuit Blanche and TIFF attract massive This state of emergency does not impact everyone corporate sponsorship, opportunities are far more limited for small evenly, even within the arts. Identity-based organizations serving and midsized organizations. Private sector funds can be important disability, racialized and Indigenous communities are still struggling to some groups, but the value of art cannot be determined by its compared to “mainstream” (read: white, hetero, male dominated) utility for corporate branding, and financial concerns must not be organizations despite years of targeted programs. This is not to allowed to dilute the independence of arts institutions. In early November, FUSE put out a call to our close columnist Joe Warmington [1], relied on that most faithful of mention the fact that all precarious “immaterial” labour in the arts These are decisions we must, and do, make on our own collaborators for a short feature essay on the impacts of austerity right-wing ammo — the public funding that the project received. is dependent on the brutal, decidedly material working conditions terms. Could the recent symposium on decolonial aesthetics within our sector. Faced with an overwhelming response, we In this case, dedicated funding amounted to a $500 Exhibition for the labourers who produce our electronics, clothing, supplies organized by e-fagia and FUSE, for instance, have proudly sported decided to take on an experimental, collective writing format. On Assistance Grant from the Ontario Arts Council, a modest sum and so on. [3] the moniker “L’Oréal” or “Scotiabank Symposium on Decolonial the evening of 2 November 2013, a group of Toronto-based that the Sun exaggerated by publishing it alongside the five-digit Aesthetics?” executive directors, curators and dropouts of prominent artist-run number corresponding to the annual funding received by the Life and Death in Artist-Run Culture We might say that everything has a lifespan and organizations met in the FUSE office to engage in frank discussion Art Gallery of York University. To further criticize this supposed artist-run centres are no different. Some end before their time, about the conditions affecting our organizations. The text that misuse of public funds, the Sun’s reporter drew a comparison to Artist-run culture and its institutions are key elements of others transform and renew themselves through successive follows was built out of a selective edit of that conversation. As a haunted house set up by Toronto mayor Rob Ford at his office, contemporary art in Canada. Since the late 1960s Canadian artists generations, and some remain on life support far longer than compensation for their participation, each contributor has been which was paid for privately. While an obvious rebuff might begin have built a national network of organizations and collectives to is dignified, beholden to the palliative care [4] of a burnt out paid the minimum wage (currently $10.25 in Ontario) for each with reminding Warmington and his ilk that artists and other support artists outside the constraints of the market. The utopian “new generation” of cultural workers tasked with working out hour spent in conversation and editing. This ad hoc collective has residents will always create projects from their own funds, leaning impulse of artists to control the means of production, publication their present and future while struggling to honour their past. elected to remain anonymous. on this type of argument misses the point of public arts funding and dissemination has succeeded in building an infrastructure Sometimes it’s better to go gracefully than to struggle on, as seen altogether: art adds value to society through the expression of that can be inclusive of diverse voices and mediums, across all with the Toronto Free Gallery’s decision earlier this year to close On 30 October 2013, the Toronto Sun published an diverse viewpoints and critiques, and is not merely an aesthetic regions of the country. While the initial impetus of artist-run culture due in part to costly new reporting requirements mandated by article criticizing a project organized by Allyson Mitchell and object, a form of spectacular entertainment or an economic has remained in some centres and emerging projects, institution- the Ontario Arts Council. presented by the Art Gallery of York University. Kill Joy’s Kastle: generator. alization has too often ossified the sector. The creation of new When speaking of the demise of centres, it may be A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House (2013) was a large-scale This type of alarmist shaming is certainly not limited hierarchies on top of the old boys’ clubs continues to restrict the helpful to see some as having lived out their life spans due to installation in Toronto’s west end that used Halloween tropes to to the Sun; in September 2012, CTV News published a similar possibilities for artists to create parallel institutions that reflect sectorial, technological or political shifts that have dramatically lay out a haunted history of feminism. Situated as a response story critiquing funding for Toronto production centre Trinity Square the diversity of contemporary practice. changed the landscape since the centres were founded, often to “hell houses” created by radical evangelical groups to promote Video’s workshop “Grow Yer Own Porn… 2012 Style,” which Austerity and freezes to arts council budgets across decades ago. In media arts, there are three main types of socially conservative values, Kill Joy’s Kastle provided a playful discussed “ethical and political issues around explicit sexual most of the country have created an impossible condition for organizations: production centres, distributors and exhibitors response to homophobia and misogyny (while also stirring up representation, prioritizing problem-solving and practical produc- maintaining the status quo in artist-run culture. Due to inflations (with some organizations performing all three roles). At present, a maelstrom of intra-community discussion and controversy). tion activity.” [2] While neither story gained traction outside of alone, every year of stagnancy actually results in significant cuts the greatest challenge for the sector is how to work with a fixed The Sun’s attack of Mitchell’s work, penned by veteran right-wing outlets, the trouble is that negative media attention to arts organizations and other publicly funded sectors of civil amount of funding to sufficiently support successful organizations

[1] Joe Warmington, “Taxpayers [2] See Andrew James Paterson’s [3] For more on this last point, [4] Amy Fung, “Evolve or funding ‘lesbian hanted house’ in review of the CTV coverage in see Jacob Wren in Lee, Kraus Perish,” Post Pacific Post tumblr Toronto,” Toronto Sun, 30 October FUSE 36-1 (Winter 2012 – 13). and Wren, /In Different (22 November 2013). 2013. Warmingon, not coinciden- Situations Different Behaviour tally, is one of the few journalists Will Produce Different Results/ who gets a pass from Toronto’s (Toronto: Paper Pusher, 2013), current mayor-by-name-only, 23-24. Rob Ford, whose primary self- assigned mandate is to watch every dime spent by council.

and to create space for new ones. The clearest strategy for the identity-based organizations (as opposed to routine tokenization). sector is to address the redundancy created by successive waves Without this support for diverse artists, it will be impossible to of technical shifts. build a robust national voice to resist austerity in arts funding. Media arts production and distribution have historically been divided between film, video, new media and sound art The Return of the Cultural Worker or organizations. Many cities have multiple production and distribu- How Not to Lose Faith tion organizations that are specialized, with some working out of the same building. For instance, Toronto is home to Vtape (video The political situation is dark. The public discourse is The ic practitioners and board ic practitioners and board es, professors, homeopath - waitress positions as maids, day Lupypciw have held Nicole Burisch and Wednes - Members Anthea Black, ty. performance and wild hilari - over-collaboration, laziness, crafty tactical the (arts) economy through in politicize women’s roles visiblemake activities and artist-run culture. ta Their still bustin’ ass within Alber - workers, not working but then-unemployed cultural closely knit affiliation of as a wasfounded in 2006 Deadbeat Society distribution, research and exhibition) and CFMDC (Canadian bleak. Austerity is spreading across much of the world. Too many . DO MORE WITH MORE WITH DO MORE Filmmakers Distribution Centre), Trinity Square Video (production people now define themselves as taxpayers, and not as residents / LESS WITH DO LESS L

and exhibition), Charles Street Video (production) and LIFT (the engaged with broader communities. Most arts funding is static, adies ’ Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto, media non-specific to say nothing of welfare rates, social housing budgets, intelligent production and exhibition). At a time of financial constraint, what transit investment and income inequality, all while the state LIDS is preventing organizations like these from merging, aside from security apparatus endlessly expands. It feels like a dark time as Invitational distinct legacies? The merger of organizations performing similar we see some organizations become corporate shills and watch

roles could be an effective mechanism to reduce costs for physical others collapse under the weight of increased costs. space and to consolidate staffing, while freeing up increased funds Against this backdrop, this year Toronto has seen a (LIDS) for improved services. By creating “super-centres” for production major success in arts funding. In January 2013 Toronto City Council and distribution, the media arts sector could have the opportunity passed a motion to tax billboards and dedicate the income to to address historical inequities across regions and mediums, arts and culture funding. Estimated at $17.5 million annually, this

and to provide space for new projects. Part of what’s standing increase in arts funding is the only recent break from the regime - of austerity. This didn’t come from a vacuum; working with partners Calgary, respectively. Alberta Montreal, Quebec; and London/Toronto, Ontario; and they now reside in out Canada and the world, enced and lectured through - published, confer - works, They’ve exhibited their solo an artist-run organizations. of several Canadi - and staff in the way of such succession is that no one’s done the math. project at Centre des arts Promiscuous Infrastructures as part of Artivistic’s discussion that took place posters was inspired by a The slogan on the 2012. Printmakers’ Society in June was printed at the Alberta cross-stitch-pattern poster MORE WITH / DO MORE edition Deadbeat Society’s limited The Ladies’ Invitational With a dearth of precedent, no one is sure how the councils will in urban planning, citizens’ groups worked for years to make it respond, and people fear losing jobs and programs. a reality. Under the umbrella of the Beautiful City Coalition, over New projects and possibilities are everywhere, but it is sixty arts organizations shared common cause to make an imperative that current administrators envision new models and ambitious goal a reality. With this new funding, Toronto organiza- LESS WITH DO LESS configurations and work closely with the councils to make them tions are just starting to catch up to the cuts to provincial support possible. This is how artist-run culture was born and it’s what is under the Harris government, and to peers in other cities (prior required to keep it alive through this awkward midlife crisis. to this, Toronto had the lowest per-capita municipal arts funding The death and merger of centres are not suggestions; they are of comparable Canadian cities). inevitable as the sectors evolve with changing climates. The only Models for success emerge when cultural workers question is where and how the decisions will be made — organize. Artists and cultural workers organizing and working collectively by institutions and the artists they represent, or top- with allies is what created arts funding in Canada. While we must down through the funding process? All sectors face difficult work to increase the levels of arts funding to create a more decisions around which institutions are crucial and how they can sustainable sector, we must also be self-reflexive and willing to

be improved. It is imperative that cultural institutions put aside pull terminal organizations off life support in order to better use of your choice! orientation own office and hang in the to stitch a banner for your handy pullout pattern LIDS’s within our means. Use realistic level of production budgets by reasserting a productivity and austerity acceleration, logic of constant that we resist the capitalist proposes , LIDS for FUSE less. With this poster reissue pressure to do more with negotiate the constant non-profit arts organizations how artists and about actuels Skol in Montreal, their self-interests and closely examine the needs of the broader the funds we have. community. There is not only death and merger here, there is Perhaps we can begin by selecting fewer centres to also space for increased collaboration and for sharing resources. fund, so support is prioritized and reserved for ones more Breaking away from competition and opening new models of effectively creating space for new ideas and new projects. There mutual aid is possible. When so many contemporary artists are also times we need to stop doing more with less, where the work in an extra-disciplinary manner, does it even make sense only solution to diminishing returns is a strike — the withdrawal to maintain disciplinary distinctions that silo artist-run initiatives of labour from conditions that are no longer tolerable. In the into media arts, visual art, performing art and publishing? coming months we may see both of these spreading across the As new organizations come into being, it’s essential arts community. With luck, the action will spread far beyond that they are not exclusively located in the downtown cores of artists and cultural workers, allying all communities under attack major cities — a priority that’s already been recognized at the by austerity. [5] council level with their emphasis on priority neighbourhoods and regional projects. Suburbs, small towns and rural areas can all benefit from new initiatives that provide access to the production and exhibition of art. Likewise, existing institutions need to amp up their equity-focused programs to ensure they are truly serving disability, racialized and Indigenous communities, in alliance with

[5] For more on this, see curator Cheyanne Turions’s blog post, 17 November 2013, adpated from her presentation at the Evolve or Perish conference presented by MANO/RAMO (Media Arts Network of Ontario), held in Ottawa.