QUESTIONS

How might we prioritise the relationship between artist and organisation as well as artist and community?

How do we hold the scope to change the mission as projects unfold?

Can we create an open space that’s contained (working in a paradox)?

How do we think differently about the need to be on time and on budget, to make space for honesty and discovery?

We are consciously working in forms other than the verbal, how do we carve time for exchange that isn’t just talking?

If the commissioned artist is nurturing and caring for the group who is caring for them?

Is care about who hears you, when they hear you and how they hear you?

Why is the brief focussed on output? How can we take time to share and articulate ourselves clearly?

Does there need to be an inclusion rider?

Do we need to work within the framework of what already exists? What if we all set out our needs, how we prefer to communicate etc., to understand better how each other works before moving forwards on any project.

How do artists help commissioners to learn by sharing their practice, concerns and ways of working?

How do we juggle the balance between the pressure to produce an output and centring care?

What if we could prioritise the way we work together and the relationship being created over potential measurable outcomes/artworks created?

What if I/You/We…

…exploring the complexity of developing and sustaining care-centred practices

Held project meetings with the whole group that were tea, biscuits and chat with everyone sharing ideas, aspirations and life instead of schedules, logistics, marketing, funder reporting and objectives.

Created briefs that centred care rather than requiring a separate agreement

Spent weeks just talking about ideas

Checked-in throughout projects, creating a safe space for honesty. Is it working? Do we need to change direction?

Adopted the practice of working with ‘care labels’, as developed by the Berlin based Feminist Health Care Research Group [FHCRG] who exist to question the internalised, ableist concept of productivity that is rewarded in the art field

Built projects grounded in the ways I/You/We want to be. BEING comes before the DOING

Built in full cost recovery for care in budgets and funding applications

Started projects with relationship building (artists, participants etc), building a shared understanding/agreement, created by everyone involved, about what care is Made inclusion/access/care riders standard practice

Had enough time for project(s) to unfold organically with care

Worked with artists’ briefs that deliberately focussed on the unknown, risk and vulnerability?

Influenced people with power to make change, through spaces for deep listening

Set up a budget line across the organisation to support care and invited artists into the codesign process (paid for time) Thought creatively about how evaluation can place value on care rather than other outputs