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I'm a full-time artist. I was employed as a visual interpreter for a scientific group here in Melbourne for 4 years. They then kindly sponsored my Master's research in Civil engineering, but with an art twist. I wanted to study a Master's in fine arts initially. I am finding myself struggle every day through this degree as I'm trying to wrap my head around information I don't connect with, all to become more employable in the future. Nevertheless, the message I'm trying to deliver through this work is of significant importance to me personally, to the future of design, education and arts.

I wish to embark on my career journey as a visual artist and collaborator, which is who I already am, without fear of becoming homeless basically. To support myself I have had to stick to hospitality jobs for 8 years now, more casually these days. Every creative has to work hospitality jobs: all actors I've met, artists, musicians. 

Having studied visual arts as my primary discipline fulltime since I was 6yo, I understand how important art education and artistic perspective is for a future progressive world. To achieve innovation, having someone with unrestricted by disciplinary guidelines view in a design team is essential. Artists' potential should not be siloed to their disciplines but explored on a grand scale. Similarly, artists should come out of their shells and try new things, seek for unexpected collaborations and demonstrate their holistic, all-connecting thinking ability. 

To facilitate such exchange and give a confident future direction for artists who are serious about their profession (calling) they must be supported on some level. 

This is basically what my Master's is about, only it's with engineering and architecture. Unlike not so long ago, these days artists have to prove their worth. Globalization and rise in population coupled with a more individualistic life style and social media tools now have made people puzzled with what their life's purpose should be, what their special talents are, etc. Question here is how does one distinguish a professional artist from a hobbyist without upsetting the latter? What guidelines should be in place to quantify the potential of arts society in the evolution of this scientifically driven world? Artists should not waste their lifetime on survival, they have too much to say as what they have is bigger than them. These talented minds should be put to use in other professional fields to uncover the unexplored, or rather forgotten, potential. Perhaps the 'artist manager' role for visual artists should be introduced in Australia, taking example from USA, Europe? (Just like they are present for musical professionals or actors). 

An online symposium exploring 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.

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.

Melbourne
May 28 2020 To May 28 2020