New ideas for a fairer, more sustainable and more inclusive arts field
Kunstenpocket "A Fair New World" (c) Anne van der Pot
In 2020, in the midst of a covid crisis, Flanders Arts Institute launched A Fair New World?!: a multi-year journey in which we worked with the arts sector to develop building blocks for a more fair, sustainable and inclusive arts field. More solidarity can arm the arts field for a future that – as we have seen in recent months and years – will go through more crises than just covid.
“Perhaps this succession of shifts is not a crisis but the new normal. And if so, what should we change to deal with that new normal?
(Milica Ilic during our second A Fair New World?! Talk, 2022)
During the multi-year journey A Fair New World?! we organised interviews and focus groups, public panel discussions, sector events and four open calls called A Fair New Idea?! We brought together all the collected knowledge for the future in a fourth arts booklet: Art, Crisis and Transition. A Fair New World in the Arts. You can download the book online, in English.
The book focuses on the insights, desires and interests of people who “deviate” from an unspoken social norm: in terms of origin and colour, of gender and sexual orientation, in terms of physical, mental and cognitive health. Their insights are a significant enrichment.
Some of the takeaways: a fair new world is built on radical trust, is steeped in caring, is not averse to delay (even when it involves loss of efficiency), looks far beyond the wall of the arts, communicates delightfully clearly, and is never finished.
As a multi-year journey, A Fair New World?! is complete, but we are not letting go of the theme. Much more information, podcasts, articles and other online content can be found on our A Fair New World-website, which we continue to update.
