NY Artists Town Hall Meeting Dec. 11th 6-8pm at White Box

New York Artists Post Election Town Hall Meeting

Introduced and moderated by Eleanor Heartney, Larry Litt and others

Date: Saturday Dec. 11, 2004

Time: From 6 to 8 pm

Where: White Box
525 West 26th Street
NY NY

Purpose:

1) Talk about the various relationships artists have with innumerable current issues locally, nationally and globally.

2) Discuss the formation of an artists’ committee to support progressive and liberal candidates of any party through the talents and energies we have to offer.

3) Set dates for future meetings that will implement actions either individually or with groups, such as advocacy group and candidate contact for artists.

When a core committee is formed we will concentrate on creating awareness in the arts and arts education communities of the upcoming elections. We can affect the 2005 New York City Mayoral, School Board, and 2006 gubernatorial campaigns. These elections are important to artists as NYC Dept. of Education, Dept. of Cultural Affairs and NYSCA budget appropriations are essential cultural issues.

Many activist groups are having this type of meeting to evaluate where we go from here. Bear in mind that conservative agendas have prevented arts education from progressing in public schools and installed an atmosphere of self censorship among arts teachers.

This effort may evolve into a state wide organizing campaign for artists in all disciplines through cooperating arts spaces and art departments at colleges and universities. This is an artist run, not a curatorial event. Do not bring slides.

Make your statements, share your views, talk about the future with your fellow artists who created political work for the 2004 elections in all visual media, video, film and performance.

You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.
--Jeanette Rankin (1880-1973) Pacifist and politician