Dear Zohran, Don't Let Art Workers Down

"As you remake New York into a better home for all those forgotten by the politics of our city, a place where working people and immigrants truly feel the power that belongs in their hands, remember this: Arts and culture are the very vehicles through which we express the power to shape our destinies. We must ensure that every member of our communities can actively participate in artistic and cultural creation and access affordable, local arts programs."

"Tragically, artists in all disciplines (be it visual arts, dance, film, music, theater, or writing) who are recognized and fairly compensated for their work increasingly come from rich and privileged backgrounds, as the leisure time and resources to learn and practice the arts become scarce or unavailable to working-class people. For that reason, the cultural sector, and working-class artists and cultural workers in particular, will benefit from the core transformations you are proposing: rent freezes, free buses, and universal childcare."

"We in the arts and culture sector must recognize that what you are proposing is cultural policy and support you in it, rather than asking for special affordability carve-outs for artists that end up pitting them against their own communities. Yet we also need you to enact a bold vision for the role of city government in fostering the arts and helping communities thrive by uplifting their cultures. This vision must start with the understanding that the arts are a public good on the same level as education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and public safety."

Arts and culture serve as vehicles through which communities express power and shape their destinies. Every community member must be able to participate in artistic creation and access affordable local arts programs. Recognized and fairly compensated artists increasingly come from privileged backgrounds because working-class people lack leisure time and resources to learn and practice the arts. Policies such as rent freezes, free buses, and universal childcare will benefit the cultural sector and working-class cultural workers. The arts sector should support broad affordability policies rather than seek special carve-outs. The arts must be treated as a public good on par with education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and public safety.

Read at Hyperallergic