In a Delicate Balance: Artists/community relationships, UK cultural policy and the artist residency. [pdf]

MA Research Project

abstract
From the 1960s, artist residencies have existed in various forms as models for intersecting relationships between artists, organisations and communities. This research project utilises industry opinions on residencies alongside historical contextual analysis of UK cultural policy, to indicate the ideological and ethical assumptions underneath policy debates. Artistic employment in society is an area of ongoing debate, which intersects with precarious labour practices, cultural democracy and artist-community relationships. This paper considers how artist residencies can be utilised as a model of fluid and consistent artistic employment with the potential to prioritise ethical community-centric artist relationships. It provides a historical overview of policy and funding through the Arts Council over a sixty-year period and addresses issues of cultural and creative work, cultural democracy and artist-community roles. Qualitative and quantitative industry responses are used to provide reflexive knowledge and insight into the practical implications of academic debate.

This paper proposes that cultural policy in the UK has seen cyclical resurgence of ethical issues because the ideological assumptions of a Keynesian cultural policy are at odds with the practical issues that artists face. Industry responses and critical engagement with historical cultural policy are utilised to highlight both direct and indirect barriers to working alongside communities. The paper concludes by suggesting that these barriers will remain if cultural policy continues to fail to address underlying ethical concerns on a practical basis and suggests a renewed examination of artist residencies as an opportunity to apply rhetoric.