The Symposium is a joint initiative of Arts Front, BLINDSIDE and Next Wave and was supported by the City of Melbourne COVID-19 Arts Grants.
The need for a basic income guarantee has been explored over many generations. It becomes prescient during times of crisis and potential economic depression. At its heart it seeks a redistribution of wealth to ensure a living wage to all people.
The symposium will address this simple concept and its complex manifestations and effects.
Focusing on the creative aspect of
future economies, the symposium
provokes that ‘artists’ should be
amongst the leaders who imagine our
future relationships to work, identity and
the meanings that flow from and
between each. Here, the term Artist* refers to the creative, cultural and caring needs and capacities of human creatures; foundational aspects of our lives we believe should be central to our systems of value.
During this C-19 crisis we are being confronted by the failings of the social and economic systems we have considered natural and neutral for the past century. Collectively we are becoming aware that competitive market based approaches to livelihood are not in the ongoing interest of people and planet. Fear of scarcity and slowing down makes us question the logic of capital accumulation, and the role we play as actors in this industrial matrix.
People across the world are re-assessing what they do with their time, understanding that labour is more than a job. How do we operate meaningful relationships when the thing that has defined us is no longer relevant to the economy?
Comprising a series of presentations, performances, discussions and rigorous questioning, this event will survey the field of basic income research and activism - covering the philosophy, economics, policy, and challenges facing advocates in its communication and implementation.
Bringing together a diverse group of thinkers and doers, this symposium is an invitation to fundamentally re-think the design of our economy and re-value the labour that is taken for granted in our current system. Creativity and care are fundamental to our ecology. They should be valued as such in our economy.
—
The symposium will include Open Captioning however if you require live Auslan Interpretation please let us know when you register.
Questions and Comments
-
How do we counter the fact that people from socially disadvantaged backrounds are not facilitated to participate (and even practice) within the arts? We bemoan the loss of Carriageworks within our nice little echo chambers - yet when public housing is sold off, the feeds are empty! We are privately educated or have had support from a young age to develop our crafts, yet we call ourselves "precarious" because we didn't receive an arts council grant. One of the main reasons the broader commons does not engage with contemporary arts practices in the way *we* would like, is because we continually fail to engage with the commons in concerted ways, and thus lack plausibility in our claims for struggle (which are very real for some and not for others). Our concerted effort towards financial support for the arts needs to be coupled with reaching and facilitating artistic practice from a diverse array of socio-economic backrounds. People do not choose to be cleaners, bricklayers, clerks etc. some of these people might actually want to self-actualise and create but haven't been fortunate enough to receive support or happenstance or both. Time to expand outside of self-congratulatory, and largely symbolic bougie-situated think-tank situations and consider ways in which actually and concrete engage the larger public and community. We have to be wary of naturalising particular socio-econonomic modalities and associated ontologies as the default, there are many artists out there who can't even afford to pay the rent, have no familial support, or get lost along the way because they can't keep up with highly professionalised grant-writing vocab! There a deeper imaginings that can take place, and I for one, think there is so much potential here. The struggle against neo-liberal imperatives is real and requires a much more acute response than is currently on offer.Anonymous ⋄ Fri 12th Jun, 10:31am
-
Please note: - due to a technical problem we unable to record the opening remarks of one of our presenters Loriana Luccioni, so we have provided them here. Loriana's presentation starts around 15:30.
"I would like to begin by acknowledging the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples, Traditional Custodians of the land on which I’m today, and pay my respect to their Elders past and present. I extend the respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples connected today.
First of all, like professor Guy Standing last week, I would also like to dedicate this talk to the late John Tomlinson, not only a passionate, long-standing advocate of basic income in Australia, but also the man that consolidated my interest in this policy, connected me with many of the tireless and inspiring people I have had the pleasure to work in the past 3 years and introduced my to Birds’ Watching - an activity that embodies a very different approach to time, that emphasizes the value of time spent being rather than doing…" -
Well done everyone! Fascinating perspectives and rad performance at the end!!⋄ Thu 28th May, 9:13am
-
Really good session - thanks all...⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:57am
-
a great symposium everyone, thanks all very much
-
Thank you all so much! :)
-
Such a rich discussion. Are there Decision Makers listening? Hope so.
-
Love Yoni's remarks about creativity. I always challenge the idea that being an artist is about being creative.
-
I love it when it approaches the larger cultural structures of how to get to the 'quiet Australians'. The mainstream media has been pitted against the arts since the rise of the Murdoch empire. Why? Becuase Arts shines lights in the places that power doesn;t want you to see. Seriously though... how to burst the bubble?⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:29am
-
I have a mobile cooking show The Village World Kitchen we can do that cooking show
Suanne -
Is it possible to see “Artists Payments” as an investment, not a Benefit Payment?
-
I’ve never known one creative person who isn’t always “working” even if they are not “employed”. Same for environmentalists.
How can we inform the mainstream community that they too (and their children) from this approach and attitudinal shift?⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:13amLike 2 -
I'd love it if there were a pension for artists here like in France! Culture is treated as integral to a functioning society over there⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:07am
-
It's gone really quiet
-
The new Artists' Union working group is undertaking a survey on visual artists' and artworkers' working conditions and pay - with a view to collectively improve our working lives. If anyone is interested - due 1st June! Definitely working together we can achieve change!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWm-D9gmm3Cg-thEW6ieOaALpFxnRYcYtVekgeoDTm12yZ6g/viewform⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:04amLike 1 -
Yes, artists are "farmed". They are the primary producers on which a whole industry is parasitic. But like milk producers, they don't get paid the "gate price".⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:03amLike 1
-
@Eva Cox we, artists, are so impoverished by the system we are in that it is almost impossible to participate in society. Why not listen to what artists are telling you about the issues we face rather than tell us what we should be talking about?
-
David Pledger, a huge THANK YOU.
Where will your transcript be posted ?
Please let us know !
Eve Stafford.
(currently) Cairns Tropical Writers Festival.⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:57amLike 1 -
UBI Would increase income for ALL to spend on art⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:56am
-
Artists aren't eligible for JobKeeper because most of us don't get an income in the first place, in normal circumstances. That's the issue.
-
Somebody please prove the link between poverty and poor health. Who knows, maybe you get healthy via poverty ?
-
To invest in people, the members of our economy and society, we are in turn investing in that economy and society. It will shift the focus on monetizing members of society and give each member value. This will improve our economies and societies in a holistic way, not just improve those who have the opportunity and ability to participate as the narrow, limited and often discriminatory "monetized individual."Like 1
-
as an artist I made the commitment long ago that I would set aside 10% of any sale of my art, any commission, any artists fee I make and then spend it on the work of another artist. This is a super micro response but one that can be activated immediately . Even when the amounts made and spent are relatively small this personal act ofdistribution impacts both financially on a community level⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:31amLike 5
-
Anyone wanting a good sense of Whitlam era would do well to listen to "The Eleventh" podcast from ABC⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:28am
-
The concept of the fetishisation of work and challenging this is too centred around tech/office/artist jobs. This does not address working-class jobs like those in factories and coal mining. Where there is often a pride of intergenerational tradition (doesn't mean that aren't needs for better work rights), fetishisation of hard hands-on labour and where the language of seld-care is foreign, especially in coal-mining towns. This is why a lot of left-wing policies struggle to appeal to man working-class people, even if they would probably be better off.Like 2
-
will this entire symposium be available as a recording afterward?⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:17amLike 2
-
there is also the idea of a wealth tax advanced by Piketty among othersLike 1
-
Caring for Country by First Nation's people and others, is another great reason!⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:06amLike 1
-
The remarks about being able to say No are spot on. The thing is that we don't need to wait for a UBI to do this. Can we practise now? Why don't we say No to unacceptable contracts and arrangements now?
-
Yep we can see it⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:59am
-
such great guest so far.⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:56am
-
The vision is brilliant - how do we get there? We need to disect what is stopping it⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:52am
-
Progressivism is not enough. Need an 'irrational' aesthetic movement. Artists need to choose whether they are UBI or full employment/wage labour supporters (ie useful idiots).
-
Well spoken Loriana!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:51am
-
That was fantastic Loriana! Clear, concise, contextualised, and solid logical argument. And all that after a technical train wreck,⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:45am
-
That is a compelling alternative discourse Lorianna. But the neo-liberal discourse has captured our imaginations and become common sense as you mentioned. How can we persuade?
-
superb loriana!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:40am
-
Thank you Loriana, spot on.
-
How would a basic income for artists be protected from government censorship of creative works?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:35amLike 1
-
is this going to be available to watch later?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:27amLike 2
-
I am not able to watch till the end. Can you make sure actions or possibilities that come out of this are shared with me.⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:27am
-
Economy tends to be materialist measures, the rest are labelled 'externalities', so it's not just formal exchanges, so use society instead as it is essentially about communalities and connectionsLike 3
-
we are hearing nothing now or is that just us?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:26am
-
Audio meshed up - awesome ecological sound-scape!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:26am
-
Masterfully crafted feedback loop!
-
no it's starting again⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
sounds good now but maybe we could recap what we missed⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
That was cool!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
the audio and video seems to be tripping up⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
STOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!!!!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
We can't hear - the strange sound feedback loop is happening!
-
youtube stream seems to be doing some cooked feedback fyi⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
it is very cool to hear multi layer sounds, another performance⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
We can just hear a big jumble of talking!Like 4
-
this seems like art right now, is this art?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:22amLike 4
-
@Eva Cox - could it also depend on what currency within an economy we are talking about? If the currency weren't dollars but mutual exchange through sharing, relating, that you mention?
-
Is it an economy or a society? economies function on money, societies on sharing and relating, citizens, not customers?Like 1
-
I followed your registration link but there seems to be no obvious button for registering?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:06amLike 1
-
Really looking forward to start of the Symposium!Like 9
Questions and Comments
-
How do we counter the fact that people from socially disadvantaged backrounds are not facilitated to participate (and even practice) within the arts? We bemoan the loss of Carriageworks within our nice little echo chambers - yet when public housing is sold off, the feeds are empty! We are privately educated or have had support from a young age to develop our crafts, yet we call ourselves "precarious" because we didn't receive an arts council grant. One of the main reasons the broader commons does not engage with contemporary arts practices in the way *we* would like, is because we continually fail to engage with the commons in concerted ways, and thus lack plausibility in our claims for struggle (which are very real for some and not for others). Our concerted effort towards financial support for the arts needs to be coupled with reaching and facilitating artistic practice from a diverse array of socio-economic backrounds. People do not choose to be cleaners, bricklayers, clerks etc. some of these people might actually want to self-actualise and create but haven't been fortunate enough to receive support or happenstance or both. Time to expand outside of self-congratulatory, and largely symbolic bougie-situated think-tank situations and consider ways in which actually and concrete engage the larger public and community. We have to be wary of naturalising particular socio-econonomic modalities and associated ontologies as the default, there are many artists out there who can't even afford to pay the rent, have no familial support, or get lost along the way because they can't keep up with highly professionalised grant-writing vocab! There a deeper imaginings that can take place, and I for one, think there is so much potential here. The struggle against neo-liberal imperatives is real and requires a much more acute response than is currently on offer.Anonymous ⋄ Fri 12th Jun, 10:31am
-
Please note: - due to a technical problem we unable to record the opening remarks of one of our presenters Loriana Luccioni, so we have provided them here. Loriana's presentation starts around 15:30.
"I would like to begin by acknowledging the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples, Traditional Custodians of the land on which I’m today, and pay my respect to their Elders past and present. I extend the respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples connected today.
First of all, like professor Guy Standing last week, I would also like to dedicate this talk to the late John Tomlinson, not only a passionate, long-standing advocate of basic income in Australia, but also the man that consolidated my interest in this policy, connected me with many of the tireless and inspiring people I have had the pleasure to work in the past 3 years and introduced my to Birds’ Watching - an activity that embodies a very different approach to time, that emphasizes the value of time spent being rather than doing…" -
Well done everyone! Fascinating perspectives and rad performance at the end!!⋄ Thu 28th May, 9:13am
-
Really good session - thanks all...⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:57am
-
a great symposium everyone, thanks all very much
-
Thank you all so much! :)
-
Such a rich discussion. Are there Decision Makers listening? Hope so.
-
Love Yoni's remarks about creativity. I always challenge the idea that being an artist is about being creative.
-
I love it when it approaches the larger cultural structures of how to get to the 'quiet Australians'. The mainstream media has been pitted against the arts since the rise of the Murdoch empire. Why? Becuase Arts shines lights in the places that power doesn;t want you to see. Seriously though... how to burst the bubble?⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:29am
-
I have a mobile cooking show The Village World Kitchen we can do that cooking show
Suanne -
Is it possible to see “Artists Payments” as an investment, not a Benefit Payment?
-
I’ve never known one creative person who isn’t always “working” even if they are not “employed”. Same for environmentalists.
How can we inform the mainstream community that they too (and their children) from this approach and attitudinal shift?⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:13amLike 2 -
I'd love it if there were a pension for artists here like in France! Culture is treated as integral to a functioning society over there⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:07am
-
It's gone really quiet
-
The new Artists' Union working group is undertaking a survey on visual artists' and artworkers' working conditions and pay - with a view to collectively improve our working lives. If anyone is interested - due 1st June! Definitely working together we can achieve change!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWm-D9gmm3Cg-thEW6ieOaALpFxnRYcYtVekgeoDTm12yZ6g/viewform⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:04amLike 1 -
Yes, artists are "farmed". They are the primary producers on which a whole industry is parasitic. But like milk producers, they don't get paid the "gate price".⋄ Thu 28th May, 8:03amLike 1
-
@Eva Cox we, artists, are so impoverished by the system we are in that it is almost impossible to participate in society. Why not listen to what artists are telling you about the issues we face rather than tell us what we should be talking about?
-
David Pledger, a huge THANK YOU.
Where will your transcript be posted ?
Please let us know !
Eve Stafford.
(currently) Cairns Tropical Writers Festival.⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:57amLike 1 -
UBI Would increase income for ALL to spend on art⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:56am
-
Artists aren't eligible for JobKeeper because most of us don't get an income in the first place, in normal circumstances. That's the issue.
-
Somebody please prove the link between poverty and poor health. Who knows, maybe you get healthy via poverty ?
-
To invest in people, the members of our economy and society, we are in turn investing in that economy and society. It will shift the focus on monetizing members of society and give each member value. This will improve our economies and societies in a holistic way, not just improve those who have the opportunity and ability to participate as the narrow, limited and often discriminatory "monetized individual."Like 1
-
as an artist I made the commitment long ago that I would set aside 10% of any sale of my art, any commission, any artists fee I make and then spend it on the work of another artist. This is a super micro response but one that can be activated immediately . Even when the amounts made and spent are relatively small this personal act ofdistribution impacts both financially on a community level⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:31amLike 5
-
Anyone wanting a good sense of Whitlam era would do well to listen to "The Eleventh" podcast from ABC⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:28am
-
The concept of the fetishisation of work and challenging this is too centred around tech/office/artist jobs. This does not address working-class jobs like those in factories and coal mining. Where there is often a pride of intergenerational tradition (doesn't mean that aren't needs for better work rights), fetishisation of hard hands-on labour and where the language of seld-care is foreign, especially in coal-mining towns. This is why a lot of left-wing policies struggle to appeal to man working-class people, even if they would probably be better off.Like 2
-
will this entire symposium be available as a recording afterward?⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:17amLike 2
-
there is also the idea of a wealth tax advanced by Piketty among othersLike 1
-
Caring for Country by First Nation's people and others, is another great reason!⋄ Thu 28th May, 7:06amLike 1
-
The remarks about being able to say No are spot on. The thing is that we don't need to wait for a UBI to do this. Can we practise now? Why don't we say No to unacceptable contracts and arrangements now?
-
Yep we can see it⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:59am
-
such great guest so far.⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:56am
-
The vision is brilliant - how do we get there? We need to disect what is stopping it⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:52am
-
Progressivism is not enough. Need an 'irrational' aesthetic movement. Artists need to choose whether they are UBI or full employment/wage labour supporters (ie useful idiots).
-
Well spoken Loriana!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:51am
-
That was fantastic Loriana! Clear, concise, contextualised, and solid logical argument. And all that after a technical train wreck,⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:45am
-
That is a compelling alternative discourse Lorianna. But the neo-liberal discourse has captured our imaginations and become common sense as you mentioned. How can we persuade?
-
superb loriana!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:40am
-
Thank you Loriana, spot on.
-
How would a basic income for artists be protected from government censorship of creative works?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:35amLike 1
-
is this going to be available to watch later?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:27amLike 2
-
I am not able to watch till the end. Can you make sure actions or possibilities that come out of this are shared with me.⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:27am
-
Economy tends to be materialist measures, the rest are labelled 'externalities', so it's not just formal exchanges, so use society instead as it is essentially about communalities and connectionsLike 3
-
we are hearing nothing now or is that just us?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:26am
-
Audio meshed up - awesome ecological sound-scape!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:26am
-
Masterfully crafted feedback loop!
-
no it's starting again⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
sounds good now but maybe we could recap what we missed⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
That was cool!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:24am
-
the audio and video seems to be tripping up⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
STOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!!!!⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
We can't hear - the strange sound feedback loop is happening!
-
youtube stream seems to be doing some cooked feedback fyi⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
it is very cool to hear multi layer sounds, another performance⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:23am
-
We can just hear a big jumble of talking!Like 4
-
this seems like art right now, is this art?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:22amLike 4
-
@Eva Cox - could it also depend on what currency within an economy we are talking about? If the currency weren't dollars but mutual exchange through sharing, relating, that you mention?
-
Is it an economy or a society? economies function on money, societies on sharing and relating, citizens, not customers?Like 1
-
I followed your registration link but there seems to be no obvious button for registering?⋄ Thu 28th May, 6:06amLike 1
-
Really looking forward to start of the Symposium!Like 9
This online symposium will explore ideas of basic income and the need for an approach to economy that puts creativity and care at its centre. Led by a panel of artists, researchers, economists, scientists and philosophers, the symposium responds to current and ongoing planetary crises, and positions creativity and social ecology as integral to shaping policy and systems of value.
—
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
1600 || Live sound performance: Nat Grant
1610 || Opening remarks: Lucie McIntosh & Dario Vacirca
1620 || Basic Income experts and researchers present: Loriana Luccioni, Greg Marston, Nicholas McGuigan & Thomas Kern, Charmaine Crowe, David Pledger
1720 || Performance for a world without creativity: Citizen Coombs
1725 || Questions & discussion: Rebecca Conroy, Vivian Gerrand, Nithya Iyer, Yoni Molad
1815 || Live poetry performance: Mel Ree
1825 || Closing remarks: Lucie McIntosh & Dario Vacirca
1835 || Book of Dream - Film: Devika Bilimoria & Amy Hanley with Dario Vacirca and Well
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME
ACTIONS & OPPORTUNITIES
If you would like to get in touch with the curators of the Symposium and this list do not hesitate to contact us via email.
ACTIONS
Petition the Australian Government to leave nobody behind through introducing an unconditional, universal income guarantee.
In lieu of a full UBI implemented across the globe, let’s call for the jobseeker rate to be raised and stay raised.
OPPORTUNITIES
An opportunity to share your urgent responses to Vocid-19 in the context of accountability. DUE June 14! Some dollars available for artist contributions.
UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME RESOURCES
ORGANISATIONS
Basic Income Australia give a clear and comprehensible explainer of UBI – what it is, and isn’t, and how we can get it. BIA Australia have regular meet ups in Melbourne and Adelaide and on SLACK.
Basic Income Earth Network is the largest and most comprehensive international network for Basic Income education and advocacy.
RESEARCH & ARTICLES FROM OUR PANELLISTS
The Environmental Impacts Of UBI And A Shorter Working Week. Greg Marston
UBI Activism and Advocacy in Australia: the Present. Loriana Luccioni
The Long Game & The Case for UBI: Freeing artists from neo-liberalism. David Pledger
What an artist led economy looks like. Rebecca Conroy
Countering radical extremism with UBI. Vivian Gerrand
Art, accounting and technology: unravelling the paradoxical “in-between”. Nick McGuigan and Alessandro Ghio
OTHER RELEVANT ARTICLES AND RESOURCES
An evolving list gleaned from across the web.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND MOVEMENTS CALLING FOR UBI & RELATED PROGRESSIVE POLICIES
Greens – Richard Di Natale initially launched a proposal for UBI in 2018. The latest push is from the NSW State Greens, led by Abigail Boyd who has detailed a Universal Wellbeing Payment. More research from Greens on UBI can be found at Greens Institute, led by Tim Hollo.
Pirate Party – propose a version of basic income through negative income tax.
DIEM25 – propose a universal basic dividend where people hold shares in large companies who benefit from govt grants and tax breaks. (European based but open to international voting and input.
Progressive International – recently formed coalition of international progressive movements and politicians, evolved from DIEM25 and Sanders Foundation. Have not yet released a statement on UBI, but they will have to soon enough.
Team of artists who designed and organised this program.
Experts in the field who outline the case for basic income from the perspective of their research- discipline.
Experts and researchers in related fields who are tasked with expanding the discussion through questions and provocation.
Curated selection of contemporary, experimental artists from across Australia, who are expanding upon their practice to meet the format and the theme of the symposium.
