[accessibleimage] Re: Seeking artwork...

Donna,
Thank you for your invitation to display artwork at your conference.

I am of two minds. I want to say "Thank you. Thank you for understanding 
how vital the arts are to developing a high quality of life - both 
personally and civilly! Thank you for providing a public platform for us 
to share what we do with others. Thank you for realizing the pivotal 
role that arts play in creating a community dialogue and reflecting the 
dialogue which is already in progress. And thank you for providing us 
with an exhibit space and an appreciative audience where we can market 
our work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

I also need to say, "You know, you just don't get it! This is what we 
artists do for work. You would never tell the hotel owner you can't pay 
for use of his hall. You would never ask the caterer to provide the food 
for free. And when it's over, are the sanitation workers collecting the 
trash for free? You understand that this is how they make their living. 
Why are artists different?"

Maybe next month I'll just tell my mortgage banker that I provided art 
work to the City of Pasadena for their conference instead of sending a 
check.... Or maybe when I have UPS come to pick up my work, the guy in 
brown will say, 'Oh City of Pasadena. We'll ship it for free.'"

I'm just guessing, but I assume the person who would be unpacking and 
hanging my work would be on your payroll. Isn' that ironic?

I understand Pasadena is financially strapped. If your city is like 
mine, disability access is not the first line item on the budget. And I 
know you sympathize with me and understand my plight. We can't do it for 
free either.

I wanted to simply delete your email. I wanted to politely thank you for 
the invitation. I wanted to sit on my hands so they wouldn't write this. 
Until we value the artists as much as we value the art, great artists 
will be forced to flip burgers, sell real estate or become investment 
bankers instead of making art. (Trust me - I could introduce you to all 
three.)

I wish you well with your conference. Sincerely I do.  I'm sure you'll 
get wonderful artists to bring their work. That's how we are. And I'm 
certain it will be beautiful.

Best wishes,
Barry Kleider
professional photographer
Minneapolis, MN




Donna Pomerantz wrote:

>Hello Listers:
>
>I've been reading the list for a few months now, and what a wealth of 
>information you guys have shared back and fourth.  This is great.
>
>I am Chair of our City of Pasadena's Accessibility & Disability 
>Commission and do other things within the city on a volunteer basis 
>here in California.
>
>I'm working on a steering committee for a community conversation 
>conference we are putting on in August.  
>
>I would like to know if there are any artists...that may be willing 
>to allow us to display their work at our conference.  I think it 
>would be a wonderful opportunity for artists with disabilities to 
>show their artwork...
>
>The catch is that we really don't have budget so we can't afford to 
>pay, or ship.  This is truly the down side, but again, we are 
>expecting around 200 people, and city officials...and hopefully a 
>Senator, Assembly person or two...and it would be great advertising 
>for up and coming artists with disabilities.
>
>For more details, please contact me via email or cell number...
>
>We are in the beginnings of how this is to work out, and the steering 
>committee would need to preview the work before it is accepted.
>
>Thank you in advance,
>
>Donna Pomerantz
>
>
>Home email  dmpomerantz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Cell number  626-233-2991
>
>Work email  dxpomerantz@xxxxxxxxxxxx   
>Work phone  626-585-3174  
>
>
>
>  
>

Other related posts: