21 May 2021
New Solidarities from Normative Conflicts
Elle Docx / Alan Lynn
If we can accept that there are traces of racism, economic inequality, and unequal representation in all aspects of life under capitalism, then United Kingdom cultural management suffers from a two-part problem. Not only are these societal harms prevalent in the field, but the mechanisms that create, support, and benefit from these harms also render acknowledgement and critique nearly impossible. Mechanisms of political economy create racism, economic inequality, and unequal representation by barring notions of care, recognition, and legitimacy.
The session discussed the barriers to talking about care as an organising principle, as seen from the positions of individually situated agents, the potential for normative conflicts, and the possibility of creating new solidarities for world making. Embracing the Experimental Studio’s mandate, participants joined in person and via Teams.
With respondents:
Bex Mather is a singing performing musician, theatre maker and PhD researcher, with c.25 years’ experience as a facilitator and teacher including co-leading a BA in community music, and directing the North East youth music action zone whilst head of the youth and community programme at Sage Gateshead.
Michael-Jon Mizra is a creative practitioner and music facilitator for Brighter Sound, teaching music production, composition and live performance to youth groups. He is also a digital arts facilitator for Peshkar Productions, supporting young people to achieve their Arts Award.
Isabel Lima construes her role as an artist and that of the artwork as fundamentally linked to openness and vulnerability in a constant process of becoming. This process of becoming is relational and flexible in order to remain committed to place, context and lived experiences.
Elle Docx and Alan Lynn are PhD researchers in the Department of Art, Northumbria University.