I'm an artist in recovery: how to survive a toxic creative process
•Do the research on the venue/companies/possible stakeholders; find out what the successful programmes of work are. Do they reflect the values of the organisations aims/objectives
•Every ACE organisation will talk with regard to care, diversity etc, who is doing the walk and not forever talking?
•Trust and accountability - where this has been eroded, how can this be recovered and rebuilt for future?
•What/where are the green/red flags?
•For freelancers: create an accountability process to help others understand how you work and how you'd like to be treated
•Consider placing money in the project budget for an Advocate role as part of the creative process. This person can help conversations where concerns are raised and accountability is an issue
•For organisations: accountability process flow chart - accepting accountability, apologise, what are the learnings... for audiences, artists, participants, young people, communities, creative teams and artist development. Is there a place to publish the findings?
To rebuild trust in self and process
•Boundaries - consider what boundaries are needed and the different effects on individual practice + stage of experience
•Trust - talk to others about who you want to work with; what processes do you want/need to protect yourself? Know the onus to protect yourself will always remains with you
•Where can freelancers go when's there's a problem? From an Human Resources perspective?
•To rebuild artistic process as a Sacred Space: to rebuild, go outside of the bubble that harmed to meet new people. It's a different kind of trust that needs to be rebuilt with care at the centre
Rebuilding your voice
•To enable vulnerability, protect it by reconnecting with your art and why you make. See more, engage with observing different creative processes. Place curiosity at the centre.
•Be in a practice - rebuild your craft from the ground up with the learnings you have gained
•Rebuild confidence and know you can pick and choose your experiences going forward
Other issues talked about
•360° reviews - why are reviews one way (usually with the people with power), what happens if reviews of artistic processes were two way?
•First port of call when there's a problem a person to approach in that first instance are (example) company managers... Who could this person be if it's a freelance maker without their own company structure?
•People in power; Artistic directors, chief executive officers (CEO), directors, choreographers etc, are you bold enough to take up the support for those who don't possess the power in your processes? Is there space to upskill the freelance community within your processes?
•Lack of transparency in accountability serves the venues, organisations, buildings in power
•For venues, stakeholders, funders, working with freelancers - are you checking in with the mental health of the freelancers you are working with?
•Anonymous whistleblowing: can freelancers be anonymous when calling out those who are in leadership positions and take advantage/abuse the power they retain within the artistic hierarchy, how does this get called out?
•Arts Council England (ACE): There is a "Raise a concern" process for people to raise concerns about ACE funded organisations and toxic processes. It is possible to raise a concern also with individual artists who are in receipt of project grants. Email ACE for more information.
•If as a freelancer you are asked to engage with a review process after raising concerns, value your time within a feedback/strategic process, charge a fee for the time taken. 'My fee is XXX per hour'. Freelancers time during such processes are not taken into account
For more information in how to engage as a freelancer with an external HR process not attached to a venue, building, organisation follow hrinthearts on Instagram/email hrinthearts@gmail.com to find out more
For those who took part or are reading this report, do talk to others about what's been raised, let's keep the conversation going.