T w itte r D e b a te c o n d u c te d b y Z A P Õs R o …

1 Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley Twitter Debate conducted by ZAP s Rosalind Davis and Annabel Tilley Live at the ICA, London for ArtLicks Second Birthday Celebration: Saturday 20th October 2012 Q: How do you survive as an artist or how do we survive as a community of artists? The following is a selection from the many responses we received from across the World. Rebecca Foster @beccafosterart I am curious as to what other jobs my fellow artists hold down to make ends meet Elizabeth Orcutt @PixEditor Doing PhD to enforce practice! axel bottenberg @xelb0ttenberG I rely on a plethora of part-time zero-hours, self-employed, this-that-and-another on the web, building, decorating.

2 Building & decorating, unfortunately, are really bad for the creativity! When I meet another artist, it's like Robinson Crusoe meeting his rescuers. @Martin1art 'survival not down to being an artist. If I had to paint to eat I' starve. But the hunger doesn't go away.' Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley Claire Weetman @claireweetman freelance mixture: adult arts ed, arts in health teaching, arts ed in schools, project management, visiting lec time in new spaces =new countries like Shanghai, but also shop window with @Sara_chica or a lift @mcrartgallery recently been able to choose and make paid community projects that allow me to reflect on my practice Lee Johnson @leeanthonyjohns by working bloody hard: in my paid job and in my studio practice Michael Cubey @michaelcubey 1.

3 How do you survive as an artist/arts community: by providing an infrastructire that creates opportunities income .. 2. By never having a 'proper weekend' and making use of every moment .. 3. By creating opportunities 4. @BowArts providing afffordable space, investing artists rent back into projects 5. And finally: Family, Friends, Music, Coffee, Alcohol, Cats. Pretty much in that order tash kahn @thisladypaints I am a freelance editor but publishing ain't that great at the moment either :-/ And because you throw your hard-earned pennies straight down the loo! Pah! Onwards and And with lots of help and encouragement from others, who spur me on in my hours of need Being an artist: It is the hardest thing I've ever done With difficulty and lots of I try to ignore rejection.

4 But that is very hard to do Rebecca Foster @beccafosterart Great + helpful hearing what other people do! I art direct TV which is good but eats up time, energy and creative energy! Rebecca Foster @beccafosterart yes - the rejection is the hardest part I think! Because you want work to have an audience! Jean McEwan @Jeanmcewan part time catering job Natasha Kahn Lee Johnson Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley Gemma Cossey @GemmaCossey Claire Weetman @claireweetman recently been able to choose and make paid community projects that allow me to reflect on my practice Jean McEwan @Jeanmcewan dogged commitment.

5 In the words of Werner Herzog 'you do not move mountains with money, you move mountains with faith' Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley Justin Hibbs @jahibbs Making work for me is about creating a space, a special space where I am free to imagine and create an alternative world, free from everyday constraints. I have the keys to that space and can enter it anywhere, it might be in the studio or a space where I am installing work, the train or a place where I am passing through. I am free there to imagine, take risks, reimagine, to think, make, invent, to construct, to destroy, play to converse and collaborate with those present and non is how I survive.

6 Rosalind davis @rosalinddavis 1. I survive by totally investing in my the 2. by being constantly inspired by other artists. GL Brierley at Carslaw St Luke's for example 3. Selling Work & doing a combination of many art related jobs. Teaching,consultancy ( buildings,education,PR,comms) as well as our numerous activities at 4. physically on very little sleep, caffeine, Zumba, lavender oil, lucozade (not all at same time!) 5. my other paid" work is also about engaging & communicating & that s also important as part of practice 6. Knowing my value and worth and the worth of an opportunity building relationships and being professional = repeat 8.

7 Without painting I could not have Rosalind Davis Justin Hibbs Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley Raoul Concord @typograph I survive by seeing the world differently, finding a truth and making it beautiful. Oh and being awesome at cutting out Mark Scott-Wood @markscottwood I survive by using the stuff that surrounds me - rubbish. Newspaper, cardboard and imagination. Cheap beer also helps. Exhibition openings great for combining viewing, socialising and meeting people especially if you work during the day Robyn Woolston @robynwoolston resilience | network construction | 'working' across multiple streams: lecturing, commissions, locations, materials multiplicity can create traction & positive feedback loops Shelley Rae @ShelleyRaeArt We survive as artists by deciding to ignore rejection, self-doubt, and to keep pursuing our passion Eastside Projects @eprjcts Common decency.

8 Support those you respect. Make sure we learn from good & bad examples, all kinds of situations. Sow. Reap. ZAP @ZeitgeistAP You can't suss out 'other people's agenda's! Just have to make the work you make, and make it well. Tommy Ting @tommy_ting 1. It is also important to meet people professionally and personally outside of the art world. Inspiration come from everywhere. 2. establish a group of artists/friends. Trust to share knowledge and resources. Have constructive crits w/ each other. 3. also, for me, working at an art university. Able to make professional and artistic Shelley Rae Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley relations with people in the industry.

9 Corinna Spencer @Corr_ the support and encouragement of people around me: family, artists, galleries, projects, friends. Cat. :) Joseph Young @artnoises Pragmatism and idealism in equal measures. Networks of support. Optimism Lee Gascoyne @LeeGascoyne It involves learning where yr energy is best placed. Annabel Tilley @annabeltilley 1. I survive as an artist by snatching time, inventing time, creating time & losing time. NeverEnoughTime! 2. Just make the work! Make the time to make the work. Not enough time ever! Slow&Steady. About building relationships, building profile & being visible. Hanging on in there 4. by being resourceful & generous.

10 These are key words Paul Kindersley @PaulKindersley quote: "I don't make money from my art I make art from my money" Heloise Godfrey @HeloiseGodfrey support work, community art, the odd bit of funding and supportive family. Annabel Tilley @annabeltilley Rejection is hard. Sometimes we can be hard & just shrug it off but other times it hurts like hell! Any tips? ZAP @ZeitgeistAP move on! But yes rejection hard. That's why it's good to do your own projects, self fulfilling & about your own objectives. change the hurt to it. & make the work, get feedback Twitter @ZeitgeistAP @Rosalinddavis @AnnabelTilley sarah filmer @sezifilms really?