A Continuing Conversation: Artists and Gentrification
I have been in an ongoing discussion about artists and gentrification. Part of this discussion has stemmed from a piece of artwork by Olivia Robinson Are You There Lord Baltimore? It's Me Olivia Robinson, Citizen Journalist investigating many of the artist-centered developments happening in Station North an Arts and Entertainment District in Baltimore. The piece was on view in an exhibition I curated, Baltimore From Many Perspectives at D center Baltimore from June 15th - July 21st. Another part of the discussion took place at a Design Conversation hosted by D center that took place on July 2nd at the Windup Space. And last, but not least was the Artist & Neighborhood Change Conference organized by Station North Arts and Entertainment District on June 20th and 21st.
The
conference looked at artists' roles in urban change, questioning the
part they play in gentrification, whether this is always negative,
and the layers of complex issues that contribute to why this
discussion is often difficult to have. Development, renewal, the
history of cities and other topics were considered in a series of
panel discussions that brought to the surface many of the
multi-layered questions that are rooted in any discussion about urban
change and the role of the artist in the process.
The
conference was a wonderful way to begin a discussion about these
issues. Marketing itself as a "conference on gentrification and
cultural vitality in transitioning communities" I thought that
something that was touched upon briefly in the question and answers
of several panels, but was not delved into as deeply as it could be
was a discussion of values and culture and which cultures are being
valued in a neighborhood that is being transitioned to become an
"artist" centered community. Especially as resources begin
to move into under-resourced neighborhoods to develop their physical
structures, we must continue to question who are the ones that
benefit from these resources? What values are driving where these
resources go? Is this inclusive of all in the neighborhood or
do some have more access then others? And if some do have more
access, what is dictating this access and is it based on historical
injustice?
The
design conversation continued this discussion. The topic,
facilitating connections, featured panelists that were artists,
curators, designers and a writer who have partnered with
organizations, communities and other individual artists to do work in
urban environments. The conversation quickly turned to race, how
these projects are funded , who has access to these resources and who
becomes the experts on these projects. A question was raised about
the whiteness of the panel and whether there is a discrepancy in who
receives support to facilitate projects like this – are they
members of the community that is being worked with or artists from
different backgrounds (racially, class-wise, etc.)? Do the resources
benefit those living in the community in a sustainable way? Or are
they used as a way to shift resources into a neighborhood that then become
part of a benefit for folks moving in from outside of the community
and who often come from privilege of one sort or another. It was a
heated discussion, but one that at least to me felt needed as one
considers the discrepancy in who has access to wealth, especially in
our cities and the ways that real estate has been used in the past to
benefit some and make profit off of others and how this has often
been racially and class based.
This
brings us to the role of the artist. I love artists, I think that
creativity is a beautiful and necessary part of life. I do not,
however, think that we live in a society where true creativity is
valued holistically. That leads me to the question - what is the
responsibility of the artist? Especially artists that have had access
to opportunity. There is agency in being a recognized artist. There
is valuable experience in having access to art growing up in family
life, in primary and secondary school, in higher education and in
having the choice to live a creative lifestyle as an adult, even if
this means one would make less money than in another career field.
And
when we look at the deep rooted injustices based on race, gender,
sexual preference and class that still exist in this country, one
must ask, if an artist has benefited from the amount of money one's
family has, by the color of one's skin, by one's gender or sexual
preference, does one then have responsibility to use the resources
one has to work toward change and a more just and equitable society.
My answer is yes.
And
I look toward artists in particular because of the place that they
live in. It is somewhere in between. They have access to power, but
often choose to live in a way that releases some of the privilege
that they would have access to in another field. In fact at the
Design Conversation someone brought this up, saying artists are not
the bad-guys, that they could very well be corporate lawyers and
wouldn't that be worse? Not if both are benefiting from an unjust
system and doing nothing to change it.
The
great benefit I see in having been trained as an artist is the
acknowledging, shaping and practicing the use of one's voice (the
ability to share one's truth with the world). With this experience,
artists have agency to play a more active and responsible role in the
communities in which they live, work and play be this based in
neighborhoods, cities, countries or the larger world. They are too
often trained to over look this power, however, and instead of
acknowledging their potential role feel put upon and blamed. How do
we change this conversation? How do we value our artists of all
backgrounds? How do we ensure that resources are ending up where they
are needed most? How do we ensure that those who have historically
been blocked from resources are no longer? How do we make sure all
have access to the creativity inherent in being and have a platform
for their voice?
In a world where one does not suffer injustice because of one's privilege, one often cannot see the injustice that others are suffering. Creativity becomes key in being able to speak one's truth in a way that others can understand and empathize with. If those in under-resourced communities are blocked from access to creative pursuits, it is up to those of us who have had the privilege of expressing ourselves to work to ensure that this changes.
Two
other interesting articles on this topic:
Fanon Hill's article Is Art Only For the Elite?
http://www.bcyri.org/BCYRI_files/PAGES/HUshHarbor/HUSH_HARBOR-blog-2.html
Klaus Phillipsen's blog Artists – The Pawns in Gentrification?
In : Responsibility
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