Arts and Social Justice

"Art Work is a newspaper and accompanying website that consists of writings and images from artists, activists, writers, critics, and others on the topic of working within depressed economies and how that impacts artistic process, compensation and artistic property. The newspaper is distributed for free at sites and from people throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. It is also available by mail order from Half Letter Press for the cost of postage. "

We can see how the collapse of the economy is affecting everyone. Something must be done. Let's talk. No, it can't wait. Things are bad. We have to work things out. We can only do it together. What do we know? What have others tried? What is possible?

Playback NYC uses music, dance, FreeStyle Hip Hop and improvisational theater to transform the stories of our audience into the art of theater. Rooted in ancient story telling traditions and tempered by current poetic and musical forms, we take our script from our audiences; memories, feelings, dreams, social and political conflicts are all transformed into theater by our actors and musicians. Formed in New York City in 1998, Playback NYC performs in theaters, clubs, schools, prisons, with unions and other community groups. Their newest project is "What You Say White Boy?" (A Hip Hop Comedy) which fuses Hip Hop with the comedy of traditional Commedia dell' Arte.

"Cultural workers intentionally produce culture through the objects and symbols that form the cultural landscape of community life. We construct community life through words, sounds, tastes, movements, spaces, objects, shapes, colours, images and other symbols. The Cultural Workers Cooperative is dedicated to a cultural life that cherishes life, respects human rights and advances justice. We advance love, joy and passion for life."

"This forum will address the question: can collective economic action effect positive change in the post-modern music industry, and, if so, what form(s) might that action and the collective that organizes it take? "