4. artist lab – conclusion

LAb 4

In the fourth Lab we discuss the results of the previous meetings, summarize and develop a manifesto on the issues:

  • What do artist parents need?

  • How do we want to work in the future?

  • What demands do we make to cultural politics?

Nationwide:

• More open-format and open-results funding and less product-oriented

• Counteract culturally embedded discrimination due to pregnancy or motherhood/parenthood in the arts and cultural sector!

• Increase public visibility and information offerings for the topic of dance/art and parenthood online and offline, sustainably support/promote networking and initiatives, increase focus on female artists.
Quote from Lab: Why are mothers predominantly (almost exclusively) found in the initiatives? Because discrimination happens to mothers.

• Family-friendly work/rehearsal schedules: Take kindergarden and school schedules into account in rehearsal schedules, adapt roles and choreographies to the physical needs of pregnant women and mothers, share responsibility in projects for family-friendly conditions.

• Child/family friendly venues: Thinking about and planning for children in all (dance) venues, institutions, training, theater, rehearsal, residency venues

• Higher fees (to prevent poverty in later years, to meet the increased cost of living), review and reform of social security systems, especially for solo self-employed dancers/artists, due to predominantly non-permanent periods of employment and “gaps in income” due to parenthood/care work.

• Ban on childcare costs in artistic projects is a financial hurdle for artist mothers!

• No discrimination in funding applications in the arts and culture sector with regard to parenthood (e.g. gaps in CV due to interruption because of pregnancy and parenthood must not be a disadvantage!)

International:

• Initiatives and networking strongly dependent on (non-) existing cultural support structures (e.g. Canada vs. India) > learning from each other!
• Different strategies: where state support structures hardly/not at all exist, very direct networks between women/artists are created.
Direct, thus precisely fitting personal support is a plus, in countries where structures are strongly developed. There are more initiatives and already more inventory and needs analyses, thus broader visibility and information/consultation offers.