Natalia Brylowska, Incubators of Arts - a New Type of Artistic Institution

ZarzÄ…dzanie KulturÄ…, tom 6 (2013), nr 2 / Culture Management, vol. 6 (2013), no. 2

Natalia Brylowska (Jagiellonian University) INCUBATORS OF ARTS – A NEW TYPE OF ARTISTIC INSTITUTION

Key words: creative industries, cultural industries, artists, art incubators, incubators of culture Abstract: The article discusses art and culture incubators as an alternative to the traditional artistic institutions, both educational as well as for its distribution. It focuses on tasks that incubators may implement for the artistic environment and the entire industrial sector.

Using the examples of working art incubators from Poland and the world, it presents possible organizational forms and aims of this type of institutions. In the article also describes the potential impediments to the functioning of the incubators and the challenges they will have to face as a new type of artistic institution.

Incubators - a new type of artistic institution?

Sociology of art, foreseeing the future of artistic culture, predicts that the traditionally understood artistic education will be replaced by informal centres that will enable artists to develop and exchange experience according to their individual needs. They will serve as a hubs for the exchange of information, knowledge and skills and places of discussion around contemporary art and the role of the artist in society. In fact, this may prove a very difficult task to carry out, in particular by art schools. The informal contacts between artists should support diversity and creative approach to artistic work in the age of cultural industries and will build networks of contacts and cooperation. Is the answer to these needs are incubators of art and culture emerging in the world, and more recently in Poland?

These tasks are easier to fulfil in an informal way of actions. To assist artists that represent different fields in their work is the task of associations or NGOs working in the field of culture and art. Although some people believe that the specificity of the artistic environment, individuality of artists and the high competition between them prevents the actual creation of such positive relationships. However, the functioning of the art collectives, or shared space work denies this. Among the recommendations of good practices for this type of entities [Markusen et al., 2006, s. 9] is also suggested the mediation between artists and audiences, critics and prospective clients, traders, buyers from different areas of the creative sector, as well as outside of it. Incubators are to support professional consultation and training related to the specificities of cultural industries and to help develop business skills, as well as to raise funds for the realization of projects, often of the non-commercial nature. In countries with no strong tradition of public support for culture, art funds from the private sector are much more developed. In Europe the diversification of resources for culture and art in addition to public sources is getting more attention. Artistic organizations

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should promote the formation of such funds and financial mechanisms tailored to specific needs of the sector and, in particular, young artists starting out their career.

Incubators of art and culture One of the existing mechanisms enabling creators and entrepreneurs the start in the creative sector are so called cultural or art incubators (culture industries/creative industries incubators). They provide space for artistic, cultural activities, offer professional technical and administrative help to organizations from creative sectors, cultural entrepreneurs, as well as individual artists [Grodach, 2011, s. 77]. They are based on model of business incubators that have been created and functions now in many places (also in Poland), often in collaboration with local authorities and education institutions (academic incubators). Art incubators started to appear in Western European countries in parallel with the development of thinking about art and culture in terms of cultural industries market. The transfer of business mechanisms in to the artistic environment required to adapt them to the characteristics of the sector and the needs of artists.

Incubators are based on different organizational forms: public, private, nongovernmental organizations. In the United States nearly half of those institutions is financed from public funds or non-profit organizations, because they are treated as an initiative to counteract unemployment by creating new jobs [Phillips, 2004, p. 114]. Sometimes new incubators use loans offered by banks, but often it turns out that their payment is too high load for them and makes it hard to keep their policy of low-cost services. Therefore, effective examples of operating incubators are those that benefited from public support in the early stages of their existence, particularly in the case of the purchase of buildings, repair or regeneration [Montgomery, 2007, p. 615]. In the report on the creative industry in Poland, we read: "the effectiveness of promoting innovation depends [...] to a large extent on the local and regional authorities. They decide on the instruments, their relevance to the existing situation and the size of the support "[Mackiewicz et al, 2009, s. 59]. As examples of the two most commonly used instruments are mentioned clusters and incubators. Their ways of support and functions, however, are different. The clusters will support the formation of networks within the sector to achieve synergies. While the main task of the incubator is to enable developers and creative entrepreneurs the entry to artistic or cultural market by providing support and advice on business. Incubators, as well as clusters, can support networking in the sector, but they assume temporality of cooperation and support.

They aim to set loose initiatives in the cultural market as a self-reliant, stable entities. It is a form of "institution" that involves a continuous flow of organizations, businesses, rather than creating permanent cooperating organism in one space.

Most of the incubators are non-profit ventures. The income has to cover the costs of the incubator - such as administration and maintenance of buildings. Some of them do not even charge the artists and entrepreneurs. There are also commercial incubators, that make profit on renting, promoting events and additional services such as restaurants, cafes, shops (e.g. Cable Factory in Helsinki). The basis for the functioning of this type of initiatives is the assumption that users of the incubator cash on their business, by selling their creations and offering services on the local or global market, therefore create a new economy of culture and develop the creative sector. The aim of the incubator is to support these often one-man companies during the first three years of working, which usually turn out to be decisive in terms of their possible success [Montgomery, 2007, p. 615].

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Within the confines of the incubators operate not only enterprises, but also nonprofit organizations. Blending of organizational forms of entities within the incubator encourages to establish cooperation between them. Artists in the course of a career often divide their activity between the private and non-governmental sectors. Thus young artists reaching to the incubator have the opportunity to discover the characteristics of the various entities, which can contribute significantly to the development of their careers. From each of the three sectors (public, private and non-governmental) artists can earn money, but also the possibility to pursue their artistic passion and make changes through their creativity.

There are many incubators of creative industries in areas such as design or fashion.

One of the good examples is The London Apparel Resource Centre. The Centre was established with the initiative of partnership between two companies: the London Development Agency, which is funding its operation and London Fashion Forum – non-profit organization dealing with the strategy of industrial development associated with fashion.

The functioning of the Centre is based on membership, which guarantees access to the services (skills development, business support) and technical resources offered by the incubator [Montgomery, 2007, s. 610].

Another example of the incubator developed specifically for artists with a certain type of artistic activity is the New York Incubator Arts Project, which is not so much an institution as a program started by the organization called Performing Art Services Inc. Initiatives produced in the incubator focus on the performing arts. The program provides space, professional help, as well as technical and administrative assistance. The organization I managed in an original way. All decisions regarding the activities carried out within the program shall be taken by the artists community, together with the administrative staff and curators1. Other organizations favouring the internal diversity of the activities of its "pupils" try to match its offer, as well as space to meet their needs. Metro Arts in Brisbane, Australia offers both workrooms and office space. In the vast post-industrial space the rented premises create a sort of empty "shells" adapted to the needs of specific creators [Montgomery, 2007, s. 613].

In Poland art incubators are starting to appear in various organizational forms. Some of them are on the so-called open workshops, that provide young creators a place for their artistic creation. An example could be a project of Open Lower City in Gdansk funded within the framework of the project "Revitalization of the Lower City in Gdańsk" co-financed by the European Union. As a part of this initiative in the revitalized area of the city were built with four fully equipped studios for: painting, design and video art, as well as exhibition space.

The programme provides for competitive recruitment, in which the prize is a studio for rent on concessional terms. One of the project’s goals is also a dialogue between the artists and the residents of Lower City district through free workshops2.

The Warsaw Cultural Incubator is also a specific project. It is designed exclusively for non-governmental organisations dealing with culture and art. In contrast to the previous example, this project does not offer the space, but rather a series of training sessions, open seminars, free advice and consultation to support the development of initiatives in the cultural sector3. Also the Culture Incubator established in 2011 by the city of Szczecin was designated for non-governmental organizations4. It offers office space for rent at 1

„The Incubator Arts Project,” http://incubatorarts.org/. „DOLNE OTWARTE MIASTO,” http://www.dolneotwartemiasto.blogspot.com/.

3 „Warszawski Inkubator Kulturalny,” http://szpitalna.ngo.pl/inkubator/warszawski-inkubator-kulturalny.

4 „Szczeciński Inkubator Kultury,” http://inkubatorkultury.szczecin.pl/.

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preferential rates, as well as technical workshops, consultations, networking meetings on issues such as finance or marketing. The organizers put special emphasis on the professionalism of entities within the incubator that is required in the era of cultural industries. The offered support is targeted to people interested in the implementation of specific civic initiatives, as well as those who would like to set up a non-governmental organisation in collaboration with the Incubator. Szczecin Culture Incubator as potential collaborators also lists the already existing organisations, companies interested in patronage of culture, as well as researchers pursuing their projects in the field of culture 5.

Another incubation initiative intended for the more diverse organizational forms of cultural entities may be Art Incubator in Łódź6. Conceptually, this is one of the most open to the reality of cultural industries incubators in Poland, which is committed to the goal of promoting culture and entrepreneurship, offering support, organisational and occupational training for companies, organizations and individuals engaged in the artistic-cultural activities, as well as for external entities and institutions of the sector. During the period of incubation Art Incubator helps evaluate the artistic and business and innovation potential on initiatives. With such plan of action Incubator plays a significant role in the integration and stimulation of art and culture sector, creating new jobs and supporting the development of the region. The added value is the revitalization of buildings of the former Karol Schleiber’s factory now serving to cultural and artistic activities.

The use of post-industrial spaces by cultural initiatives is a trend occurring very broadly. One of the incubators placed in revitalized spaces is the Lower Silesian ArtEntrepreneurship Incubator in Bielawa [Masyk, 2012], established in 2013. It is located in a historic administration building of the textile factory "Bielbaw". In the building there will be:, computer labs, studios for sound and image processing, music rehearsal work, pottery, poetry club.

Many of this kind of initiatives is also of great importance for local development, especially in the revitalised areas, where cultural activities linked to the entrepreneurial spirit gives the ability to support social regeneration of the area. They have the potential to build social capital around them, engaging local community, incubating new talents and stimulating creativity [Grodach, 2011, s. 76]. They may attract the attention of tourists and investors and support further urban regeneration. The growing influence of the creative sectors of the local economy has a great importance for a broader regional development. On the wave of popularity of concept of the creative class, many cities have adopted a policy which aims to attract its members and the to build a creative city. Incubators of art and culture combine the potential of development of the artistic environment and the creation of a relationship with the business sector [Grodach, 2011, s. 74].

For the community of artists and cultural workers incubators can act as a social institution that integrates, builds trust and shared identity of a very diverse group. They enhance the potential of interaction and cooperation between representatives of different fields of cultural activities. This is a particularly difficult task in the terms of "cruel economics of art", which forces artists to constant competition, which is especially harsh at the entrance. Therefore, there is a risk that the integrating potential will remain unexploited - of 5

„Szczeciński Inkubator Kultury” „Artinkubator,” http://www.artinkubator.com/.Projekt "Utworzenie w ramach Fabryki Sztuki w Łodzi Inkubatora Kultury - Art_Inkubator" otrzymał dofinansowanie z Europejskiego Funduszu Rozwoju Regionalnego w ramach konkursu "Oś priorytetowa III Gospodarka, innowacyjność, przedsiębiorczość; Działanie III.4 Rozwój otoczenia biznesu w ramach RPO WŁ na lata 2007–2013".

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both: artists internally, by creating entry barriers for new people and externally – between artists and the local environment in which works an incubator [Grodach, 2011, s. 76]. The creation of an incubator or art centre does not guarantee that a smoothly cooperating community would form around it. To achieve it there is needed much more. Moreover, relations between artists do not necessarily lead to professional cooperation, which would open the door to a successful career and financial prosperity [Grodach, 2011, s. 82]. This is not an automatic process. Another issue threatening the success of the art or culture incubator is a problem of too extended incubation period. Once accommodated organizations, companies and artists are reluctant to leave the incubator, since it provides good conditions for them, they find themselves standing in fear of functioning without an existing support [Grodach, 2011, s. 76]. This kind of "prolonged pregnancies” can lead to stagnation in the local market of art and culture. This phenomenon may be a result of a lack of time limits in some incubators, and, on the other hand, perhaps is related with insufficient skills training courses which should contribute to an independent activity on the market.

Yet exactly that training and professional assistance in the fields of business management, financial planning, marketing and legal issues in culture management and the functioning of art market should distinguish incubators from other centres of art and culture, so that they become a new instrument for encouraging young artists, not limited only to financial support from sources such as scholarships or grants. Current system of artistic education (art academies, universities) is lacking in developing skills and providing know-how needed for self-sufficient work on the market dominated by the cultural industries.

Incubators seek to complement it in these fields. Some incubators even offer professional services such as market research that could help find potential audience for their residents and mediate between artists and buyers of creative products or services [Phillips, 2004, s. 116]. Incubators not only mediate between the worlds of art and business, but also in the increasingly labile world creators and consumers of culture. One of their tasks is to forge a relationship with the audience and to transfer it to the individual successes of the organizations and artists working in an incubator [Grodach, 2011, s. 82].

Four basic challenges that all sorts of art centres, including also art/culture incubators, have to face in the future are [Markusen and Johnson, 2006, p. 27-28]: 1. Technology

Some fields of contemporary art need specialized hardware and software. The incubators should support artist by informal teaching and providing access to them, for those who are not yet able to bear such a large financial investment. New technologies also offer new opportunities to promote your own work and expand outreach, for example by making selfpublishing easier. Incubators should show new opportunities and encourage to make the best of it.

2. Multimedia The issue is connected with the new trends in art, which cross the boundaries between the traditionally defined arts. The incubators are open to this type of creativity and must adapt the offer to the needs of the growing artistic careers and organizations that tend to combine very different techniques and forms – also expanding in areas not directly related to the traditionally understood art.

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3. Profit or non-profit Artists or cultural workers often mix in their professional life projects undertaken for profit with those carried out typically not-for-profit. In Poland we observe a certain specialization in incubators for non-governmental not-for-profit initiatives; Perhaps this is due to the requirements forced by the founders or the methods of raising funds for the current activity of this type of institution. What's important, mixing for profit and non-profit in one incubator can give its users a better chance of development in different sectors.

4. Changing social and political factors The future will generate many challenges for art institutions related to the changing cultural and social reality, as well as changes in the market of arts and culture and cultural policies.

Because of their role, they must observe the current trends, such as the accumulation of cultural and artistic activities in large cities, or turns inside the world of contemporary art and culture.

For the artistic community incubators can serve as new centres for the exchange of experience and discussions, becoming somewhat informal educational centres for artists, whose activity is becoming more and more varied and does not fall within the framework of classical art education. Existing incubators often collaborate with art academies. There are also such that provide a space for larger educational institutions as one of hosted organisations – for example The Workstation and The Showroom located in Sheffield. It is a large incubator existing since the 1990s in which is located the Northern Media School – a department of Sheffield Hallam University [Montgomery, 2007, s. 22].

Education of a contemporary artists does not end with graduation, which often does not prepare them for independent operation on the market of art and culture. Therefore, business incubators are one of the possible gates for the young artists and cultural entrepreneurs to enter the world of culture industries. Perhaps, on the one hand, incubators will show them the way to professional artistic or cultural career (since the institutions of art education no longer satisfy this role) and, on the other hand, will open the local and global market for contemporary art by making young artists more visible and aware of the need to manage their own careers.

Literature

DOLNE OTWARTE MIASTO.2012, available online: http://www.dolneotwartemiasto. blogspot.com/ The Incubator Arts Project. 2012, available online: http://incubatorarts.org/ Grodach, Carl. Art Spaces in Community and Economic Development: Connections to Neighborhoods, Artists, and the Cultural Economy. “Journal of Planning Education and Research”31 (1) 2011, s. 74–85.

Mackiewicz, Marta; Michorowska, Beata; Śliwka, Agata. Analiza potrzeb i rozwoju przemysłów kreatywnych. Raport końcowy. Warszawa 2009, available online: http://www.mg.gov.pl/files/upload/10147/Analiza%20potrzeb%20i%20rozwoju%20przemys low%20kreatywnych.pdf.

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Markusen, Ann; Gilmore, Sam; Johnson, Amanda; Levi, Titus; Martinez, Andrea. How Artists Build Careers across Commercial, Nonprofit and Community Work, 2006, available online: http://www.hewlett.org/uploads/files/Crossover_HowArtistsBuildCareers.pdf.

Markusen, Ann; Johnson, Amanda. Artists’ Centers Evolution and Impact on Careers, Neighborhoods and Economies. Project on Regional and Industrial Economics. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota,2006, available online: http://www.hhh.umn.edu/img/assets/6158/artists_centers.pdf.

Masyk, Łukasz. Dolnośląski Inkubator Art-Przedsiębiorczości, available online: http://www.bielawa.pl/site/index/site_id/351 Montgomery, John. Creative industry business incubators and managed workspaces: A review of best practice. “Planning Practice and Research”22 (4), 2007, s. 601–617.

Phillips, Rhonda. Artful business: Using the arts for community economic development.

“Community Development Journal”39 (2), 2004, s. 112–122.

Szreder, Kuba. Dlaczego artyści są biedni. Próba diagnozy. „Notes na 6 tygodni”(76), 2012, s.

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Natalia Brylowska – she graduated from comparative studies of civilizations (Department of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Bachelor) and the management of culture (Institute of Culture, the Department of Management and Social Communication, Jagiellonian University, MA). Third year student of doctoral studies in the field of management science at the Department of Management and Social Communication at the Jagiellonian University.

Interested in the urban anthropology (revitalization issues Artists-workers. Culture in the revitalization of the Gdansk shipyard (Artyści – robotnicy. Kultura w rewitalizacji terenów Stoczni Gdańskiej) [in] Od hałdy do kultury, a series of Cultural Management Library, Kraków, Wydawnictwo Attyka, 2012, s. 95-105), the contemporary culture, cultural research, therefore works for the Cultural Observatory at the City Culture Institute in Gdansk and as the coordinator of research network Obserwatorium Żywej Kultury for the Pomerania region. In her work deals with the issues related to the relationship between culture and the management, particularly the application of anthropological and sociological methods in the study of the economic reality of contemporary culture.

Inkubatory sztuki – nowy typ instytucji artystycznej Słowa kluczowe: przemysły kreatywne, przemysły kultury, artyści, inkubatory sztuki, inkubatory kultury Streszczenie: W artykule omówiono inkubatory sztuki i kultury jako alternatywę dla tradycyjnych instytucji artystycznych, zarówno edukacyjnych, jak i związanych z jej rozpowszechnianiem. Skupiono się na zadaniach, jakie mogą realizować inkubatory na potrzeby środowiska artystycznego oraz całego sektora przemysłu kultury. Posługując się przykładami działających w Polsce i na świecie inkubatorów sztuki, zaprezentowano możliwe formy organizacyjne i cele stawiane przed tego typu instancjami. W artykule zostały wzięte pod uwagę także potencjalne bariery funkcjonowania inkubatorów oraz wyzwania, z jakimi będą musiały się zmierzyć jako nowy typ instytucji artystycznej.

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Natalia Brylowska – absolwentka porównawczych studiów cywilizacji (Wydział Filozoficzny, UJ, licencjat) oraz zarządzania w kulturze (Instytut Kultury, Wydział Zarządzania i Komunikacji Społecznej, UJ, magister). Studentka III roku studiów doktoranckich z dziedziny nauk o zarządzaniu na Wydziale Zarządzania i Komunikacji Społecznej Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. Interesuje się antropologią miasta (zagadnienia rewitalizacji Artyści – robotnicy. Kultura w rewitalizacji terenów Stoczni Gdańskiej, [w:] Od hałdy do kultury, seria „Biblioteka Zarządzania Kulturą”, Kraków, Wydawnictwo Attyka, 2012, s. 95–105), kulturą współczesną, badaniami kultury. Pracuje, tworząc Obserwatorium Kultury przy Instytucie Kultury Miejskiej w Gdańsku i jest koordynatorem pomorskiego węzła Sieci Badawczej Obserwatorium Żywej Kultury. Szczególnie zajmują ją zagadnienia związane z relacjami między kulturą a zarządzaniem oraz zastosowanie metod antropologicznych w badaniu ekonomicznej rzeczywistości współczesnej kultury.

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