The Sustainable Writer?

Today and tomorrow I’ll be attending the Southwest Arts Conference in Carefree, Arizona where the theme is sustainability. The keynote speaker is photographer Chris Jordan. Jordan is known for his pictures of mass consumerism and waste, like the reproduction of the Seurat painting pictured above that he made with the the image of thousands of aluminum cans. He has published four books that feature his work, Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption, Running the Numbers: an American Self-Portrait, Running the Numbers II: Portraits of Global Mass Culture, and In Katrina's Wake: Portraits of Loss From an Unnatural Disaster. His work has been widely exhibited and he's been featured in many interviews.

Jordan was also a corporate attorney who chose to leave that profession to become an artist and activist. His speech at the conference is supposed to touch on how he moved from disengaged lawyer to a creative defender of the environment.

Jordan’s story is similar to my own and to the story of many artists who once pursued money, status, and validation from other professions. The reason people leave is always the same: one wants to do work that is meaningful, that inspires others. Jordan has become successful as a photographer and so many people will listen to what he has to say and reevaluate the work that they do. But in this worldwide recession I sense a shift away from stories like Jordan’s. I’m hearing more stories about people leaving the arts or teaching to pursue professions like law. The Washington Post featured an article by Sarah Fine who trained as a teacher through Teach for America only to quit after a couple of years. She had many reasons to walk away from teaching but among them was the lack of money and status.

So, I’m looking forward to hearing what Jordan has to say about his decision to remain an arts activist. It may have been an easier choice for him since both of his parents were artists. I’m also looking forward to hearing ideas about what sustainability means for writers. It’s easy to see how the issue impacts visual artists and architects, but what does it mean to be an environmentally aware writer?

What We're Reading on the Metro + An AZ Arts Alert

Books that I spyed people reading on the Metro:

Kurt Vonnegut's Hocus Pocus

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

An LSAT primer

A James Patterson novel (again)

I wonder if I'm missing people who are reading e-books on the train? I'll have to check.

On a more serious note, the Arizona legislature is eliminating a significant amount of arts funding, with promises that the money will return later, but who knows? If you value the arts and artists as part of the culture here in Arizona, please write to your state representative and protest these drastic cuts. More information below.


Take Action!
Contact your Elected Officials Today!

ARIZONA ARTS ACTION ALERT

Jan 27, 2009 - Arizona Action for the Arts has been actively working with legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle to protect the Arizona Commission on the Arts' budget.

Today, we learned of a potentially devastating proposal to cut all state funding for the Arts Commission; Arizona ArtShare (the statewide arts endowment) and the Arts Trust Fund. This proposal threatens an already vulnerable nonprofit arts industry serving citizens in every Arizona community. If state funding for the arts is completely cut, we also lose our annual federal match and eligibility for federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The net effect: decimating the nonprofit arts industry that provides quality programming, educates our young people, brings tourism dollars into our state, creates jobs, generates taxes and encourages spending.

The Arizona Commission on the Arts has distinguished itself by working with leadership in making appropriate and reasonable reductions to its budget for 2008 and 2009 thus far. By continuing to work with legislative leadership, we hope to ensure that reductions to our funding would have the least impact in our communities and keep the arts industry in a position to be a part of the economic recovery.

ACTION OPPORTUNITIES:

At this time, it is most appropriate to send a PERSONAL message to your Legislators by CALLING or WRITING (preferred), or by emailing them to let them know that:

* The Arizona Commission on the Arts is willing to do its fair share to help solve the budget crisis and that any proposal to eliminate all state funding would be short-sighted and unfair in this current crisis which will pass over time.
* Given the small size of the total arts budget compared to the state's fiscal problems, eliminating the Commission would be draconian and would severely disable programs and services the arts industry provides for Arizona citizens.
* A current analysis of nonprofit arts organizations statewide shows an already-stressed sector with 84% experiencing decreased contributions, more than half already having cut program and more than one-third instituting hiring freezes or starting layoffs.
* Eliminating public funding for the arts will have a devastating impact on thousands of Arizonans who make their livings, pay their taxes, contribute to the well being of Arizona through the arts and make Arizona a great place to live.
* The arts and creative industries in Arizona, which include 10,590 small businesses, employ more than 46,000 people. (ref: AFTA Creative Industries report)


Stay tuned for future alerts and messages. We are very early in the Legislative session.

For additional information, please look at the new publication, Building Public Value for the Arts in Arizona: Advocacy, Promotion and Audience Engagement


SIGN UP FOR ARTS CONGRESS TODAY! (Monday February 2nd)Your opportunity to personally talk with your Legislators is coming up next Monday - Click here to Register Today


ACTION REQUEST RECAP:
1.At this time a personal phone call or handwritten message is best! These communications carry much more weight with elected officials who are being overburdened with hundreds of emails from every cause imaginable this session. Click here to find phone numbers and addresses.
2.If your only alternative is to send an email message, create your own - again, "stock" email messages are proving less effective. Here are some good TIPS for writing your personalized email message:
a.Your subject line should be simple, for example: "Message from a Constituent" or "Please consider my request" or "Special request" or something creative that will stand out from other subject lines - possibly more personalized, ie: "Senator Jones - I have a request. "
b.Keep your message SHORT. Get right to the point, the shorter the better - no more than 200 words (one paragraph).
c.Be sure to say WHO you are, WHERE you live and try to share one PERSONAL story as to why you believe in the work of the Arts Commission or what impact drastic cuts would have on you, your family, your neighborhood or community.
d.Use one or two facts only from this alert.
e.Ask that they be "fair" to the arts when considering budget reductions this year.
f.Thank them for their service, or their time.
g.Tell them you look forward to seeing them at Arts Congress on Monday, 2/2