
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.
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The symposium will include Open Captioning however if you require live Auslan Interpretation please let us know when you register.
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.
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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.