Comments on: Whoa – restricted access twitter art – a new arts funding model http://blog.thepresentgroup.com/2009/06/12/whoa-restricted-access-twitter-art-a-new-arts-funding-model/ Exploring new models of support for contemporary artists, musing on the art world and people who make stuff, and documenting our life running the Present Group subscription art project. Mon, 14 Jul 2025 03:40:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: eleanor http://blog.thepresentgroup.com/2009/06/12/whoa-restricted-access-twitter-art-a-new-arts-funding-model/comment-page-1/#comment-15989 eleanor Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:53:38 +0000 http://blog.thepresentgroup.com/?p=886#comment-15989 Hi Will, Thanks for responding. I am surprised to find out that the Brooklyn Museum does not provide stipends or honorariums to artists at all. I am under the impression from artists that I have spoken to that most museums do provide some funds to artists, especially when the artist's assistance is required to install the work, or the artists creates or performs new work for the show. I don't know if this practice is different in New York. Shelley has told me over email that what you are doing mirrors closely a typical museum membership- as many artists donate their time to give lectures for members. The difference to me is that these artists are looking at twitter as a medium and are creating new, exclusive work, that they will never be able to show again. The idea of exposure for payment is one that we have been thinking about a lot here, and it is a problem that we are try to address. If we value art in our lives, then we need to support the artists that make it. Otherwise, at some point, they won't be able to make it anymore. Hi Will,

Thanks for responding. I am surprised to find out that the Brooklyn Museum does not provide stipends or honorariums to artists at all. I am under the impression from artists that I have spoken to that most museums do provide some funds to artists, especially when the artist’s assistance is required to install the work, or the artists creates or performs new work for the show. I don’t know if this practice is different in New York.

Shelley has told me over email that what you are doing mirrors closely a typical museum membership- as many artists donate their time to give lectures for members. The difference to me is that these artists are looking at twitter as a medium and are creating new, exclusive work, that they will never be able to show again.

The idea of exposure for payment is one that we have been thinking about a lot here, and it is a problem that we are try to address. If we value art in our lives, then we need to support the artists that make it. Otherwise, at some point, they won’t be able to make it anymore.

]]> By: Will Cary http://blog.thepresentgroup.com/2009/06/12/whoa-restricted-access-twitter-art-a-new-arts-funding-model/comment-page-1/#comment-15988 Will Cary Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:09:45 +0000 http://blog.thepresentgroup.com/?p=886#comment-15988 Thanks for posting on 1stfans. Shelley Bernstein, our Chief of Technology, and I run the program together here at the Brooklyn Museum. Just so you all know, we take a mixture of artists for the Twitter Art Feed, both from the Open Call and through our own research and with help from our Curatorial staff. We do not pay any artist to use their work in the feed, just as we do not pay artists when their work is exhibited here in the Museum. Museums are not in the business of paying artists, they are in the business of showing art. In fact, I can't think of any Museums who pay artists to exhibit their work. All we can offer is exposure, and we definitely run into challenges working with artists to get them to give their time to the Museum for this project. At the same time, I think many of our artists realize the opportunity that comes with experimenting with their work on twitter and exposing their work to a new demographic. As for yearly resubscribing, I'll be totally honest with you all: we haven't completely figured out how we are going to renew everyone at the end of the year. Logistically it will be difficult, but it is something Shelley and I discuss frequently and we're confident we'll have a good system in place by the time 1stfans begin to be up for renewal in December. Thanks again for writing about 1stfans. The program is something that we are generally happy with, but work hard to keep fresh, fun, and worthwhile for our Members. -Will Thanks for posting on 1stfans. Shelley Bernstein, our Chief of Technology, and I run the program together here at the Brooklyn Museum.

Just so you all know, we take a mixture of artists for the Twitter Art Feed, both from the Open Call and through our own research and with help from our Curatorial staff. We do not pay any artist to use their work in the feed, just as we do not pay artists when their work is exhibited here in the Museum. Museums are not in the business of paying artists, they are in the business of showing art. In fact, I can’t think of any Museums who pay artists to exhibit their work. All we can offer is exposure, and we definitely run into challenges working with artists to get them to give their time to the Museum for this project. At the same time, I think many of our artists realize the opportunity that comes with experimenting with their work on twitter and exposing their work to a new demographic.

As for yearly resubscribing, I’ll be totally honest with you all: we haven’t completely figured out how we are going to renew everyone at the end of the year. Logistically it will be difficult, but it is something Shelley and I discuss frequently and we’re confident we’ll have a good system in place by the time 1stfans begin to be up for renewal in December.

Thanks again for writing about 1stfans. The program is something that we are generally happy with, but work hard to keep fresh, fun, and worthwhile for our Members.

-Will

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