Xmas Time! Free thoughts about global challenges and the arts

I am reading a book about the history of modern art and this has made me think about the role that arts&culture have been exercising in promoting change not just in the artistic/cultural field, but also in the society as a whole. Bauhaus represents a good example of how a school of art challenged the very same concept of art, blurring the boundaries between design, fine art, craft, architecture, and more. Bauhaus artists produced objects that were simultaneously an artwork with a great aesthetic value and a product ready to be manufactured, sold and used. Doing so, the school challenged all those who believed in the credo 'art for the art's sake', changing at the same time the way of thinking about mass-production.

Reasoning about the future, I believe artists and cultural producers need to develop a greater ability to take part in discussions of social and political issues. Finding a way to be included when leaders consider solutions to the challenges that we have ahead is itself one of the greatest challenges that the cultural sector must face. And from the local problems to the global concerns, there is plenty to choose.

It appears, instead, that arts&culture have been usurped of their 'civic' role in favour of the profit or the entertainment that they may easily procure. We all have paid to attend artistic or cultural events – at least once – only for having fun, taking a rest, or for saying 'look who is here! I am here too'. There is no harm in that, but it should be clear that selling amusement couldn't be the sole purpose of arts&culture makers. Engaging a cultural event may become a transformative experience when a political and social message is conveyed through it, or when an artwork is exhibited so as to critique the establishment and shake the status quo. And such experiences can be even more valuable if they are delivered for free or sold at an affordable price. Let's think about The Moving Museum, which I consider a contemporary social and political experiment capable of challenge the traditional role of private galleries; or the artwork 'Let one hundred flowers bloom' by Not Vital that bring a light on the fury of Chinese Cultural Revolution, and that was crafted by skilful Chinese craftsmen.

So, beside fun and aesthetic pleasure, arts&culture are means to promote discussion, change, and well-being. Yes, well-being, because there's nothing more empowering and … healthy that taking part of something meaningful, like an urban renewal as the one led by Assemble in Liverpool. That was energizing, from the side of the makers (the collective) as well as the consumers (the tenants).

At risk of sounding like a character of comic book, I believe that in the future arts&culture need to expand its political and social power and exercise this power with responsibility. That's a challenge for artists and cultural producers, and for us too, as art managers (or whatever should be called our role…).