[MANIFESTO]
[ART WORKERS ITALIA] is an informal, autonomous, and non-partisan group of contemporary art workers formed in response to the current crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
[AWI] includes all figures who operate within public and private organisations and institutions for contemporary art – such as museums, foundations, cultural associations, universities, independent spaces, galleries – and/or those who carry out freelance work in collaboration with these organisations. Together, we have convened under [AWI] to communicate our demands with a single [INDEPENDENT VOICE].
We are [ART WORKERS]: artists, performers, curators, assistant curators, researchers, museum educators, art handlers, producers, lighting and sound technicians, registrars, videomakers, art critics, art writers, art historians, invigilators, couriers, gallery assistants, project managers, consultants, coordinators, conservators, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, animators, studio assistants, communication and social media managers, and press office staff.
1. The reference to the historical Art Workers Coalition (1969) did not influence our decision to name ourselves Art Workers Italia, but is certainly part of the cultural references shared by the group.
[ART WORKERS ITALIA]
The name [ART WORKERS ITALIA]1 underlines our [LOCAL AND TRANSNATIONAL] perspectives: our analysis of working conditions is informed by the international community of contemporary art workers, while our understanding of workers and their needs is rooted in the historical and political context of Italy, in dialogue with other initiatives supporting [PRECARIOUS CULTURAL WORK].
1. The reference to the historical Art Workers Coalition (1969) did not influence our decision to name ourselves Art Workers Italia, but is certainly part of the cultural references shared by the group.
[WHY WAS AWI FOUNDED?]
[ART WORKERS ITALIA] was founded in response to the social and economic [CRISIS] caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of us, the crisis has resulted in the suspension and/or loss of jobs and projects. Furthermore, these selfsame employment arrangements have been the reason for exclusion, in most cases, from any form of social safety net or [PROTECTION] envisaged by the government in the “Cura Italia” decree, such as the cash supplement for unemployed workers or one-off bonus paid by INPS (National Institute for Social Security).
The criticality of the situation, amplified by the increase in demand for unpaid digital content during the quarantine by public and private entities, has clearly revealed several [STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS] of the sector. The majority of our work is [IRREGULAR] and [FRAGMENTED], defined by atypical and intermittent contracts, creating an [UNTENABLE] working situation. Furthermore, the lack of protective entities specific to our needs weakens the bargaining power at our disposal. Together with the fact that our wages often neither adequately compensate for the hours and quality of work done, nor the training and experience required, these conditions render our current working circumstances extremely [VULNERABLE].
All of this occurs in a sector in which wages barely above the poverty line coexist with the standards and regulations of the luxury goods industry, where an unacceptable percentage of unofficial and [UNAUTHORISED WORK] is simultaneously accompanied by high levels of education. It is in this context that, instead of monetary remuneration, alternative forms of “compensation” are imposed, with promises of exposure, networking, and building one’s reputation for the sake of a future (yet uncertain) position.
This is supported by an [ELITIST SYSTEM]2 which complicity incentivises a dynamic of competition and [SELF-EXPLOITATION]. Ultimately, this situation undermines a healthy working environment based on respect for skills, training, experience, and collaboration.
2. The possibilities of professional success in the field of contemporary art are often directly proportional to the capital available at one’s outset. Because this capital can also be social or cultural in addition to being an economic one, we have chosen to use the term “elitist” instead of “classist”.
[WHAT DOES AWI DO?]
[AWI] voices [MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES] and [NEEDS] through [COLLABORATIVE] and [SELF-DIRECTED] inquiry, forming a critical mass and advocating for the inalienable right for the recognition of our status as workers, and along with it our subsequent rights and obligations. The organisation is divided into [COMMITTEES], according to different areas of focus, in order to articulate concrete proposals both in response to the ongoing emergency and in the long term.
[AWI] aims to define, develop, and provide operational [TOOLS] that provide support concerning ethical, political, legal and contractual nature. Our areas of focus include: strengthening and developing definitive measures of protection; studying the [SPECIFICITIES] of the non-profit sector; researching historical workers’ [STRUGGLES] in Italy; creating a comparative analysis of [GOOD PRACTICES] already tested in EU and non-EU countries; and identifying and coordinating with other national and international initiatives to protect [COGNITIVE LABOUR].
[ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF AWI]
[AWI] upholds the principles of [INCLUSIVITY] and [SUSTAINABILITY] as fundamental prerequisites of ethical conduct. We cannot, and we refuse, to discount the necessary solidarity with all workers who are underpaid and exploited. Furthermore, we strive towards a systemic change supporting an [EGALITARIAN FUTURE] for all [MARGINALISED IDENTITIES] in respect to gender, ethnicity, class, ability, sexual orientation, religion, age, and nationality. [AWI] is not an artistic or curatorial project – rather, it is a non-hierarchical and collective undertaking.
[GOALS OF AWI]
Our strategic perspective, in the short and long term, is to focus on the [RECOGNITION] of the profession of contemporary art workers, the [REGULATION] of employment relationships, the [REDISTRIBUTION] of resources, and the reform and [RESTRUCTURING] of the entire sector. Building upon previous efforts undertaken by others, Art Workers Italia is currently working in dialogue with several research institutions, universities, foundations, and cooperatives: to conduct [SURVEYS] designed to provide quantitative and qualitative information regarding contemporary art workers in Italy; provide training materials for professionals working within the sector; and develop a [CODE OF CONDUCT] specific to cultural work, that acknowledges its financial and value-extraction operations.
[COVID-19 EMERGENCY REQUESTS]
Following requests already made by other social and cultural sectors, [AWI] asks the Italian government for:
• [BASIC ECONOMIC SUPPORT] corresponding to the gravity of the situation;
• The extension of the measures already outlined in the “Cura Italia” decree to those who do not yet have a [SOCIAL SAFETY NET], a condition that affects the majority of the people who work in the sector, as they are subject to intermittent employment contracts or contingent work, and thus reach the minimum days of employment necessary with difficulty;
• Confirmation of the appropriations provided by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism regarding projects and events scheduled for 2020-2021 and, where necessary, the reallocation of funds for research and production activities;
• Fiscal and tax relief, such as the extension of the 2019 tax balance for the current year; the suspension of advance payment under “Gestione Separata INPS” (Separate Management INPS) for self-employed workers, whether as a lump sum or otherwise; the suspension of Synthetic Indices of Tax Reliability (ISA); and finally, the lessening of rents – through tax credit – for non-profit associations and other premises used for artistic production – including [ARTIST STUDIOS];
• A policy addressing the [COMPENSATION] of digital and online art production;
[LONG-TERM GOALS]
Together with various institutions and entities, [AWI] will work towards the long-term goals concerning the following macro-themes: worker protection, the establishment of designated funds, and the reassessment of a system of increased competition and professionalisation. We aim to create an overarching organisation that can connect a constellation of individuals and associations, representing their collective needs and demands within the [PUBLIC SPHERE]. These include:
• Developing a [PROFESSIONAL CHARTER] for those working in the contemporary arts, modelled after the National Chart of Museum professions (2006);
• Identifying key points in the current legislation applicable to contractual [EMPLOYEE] positions; developing legal forms that more accurately reflect current working situations, with the intent of proposing one or more drafts for future models of national contracts relevant to the different roles within the field of contemporary art;
• Creating new ATECO codes (Italian Classification of Economic Activity), or revising pre-existing ATECO codes, for [INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS] to adequately address more specific needs and extend to the legal protection such as unemployment benefits, sick leave, maternity leave, and parental leave;
• Proposing [FAIR COMPENSATION] for services rendered by artists and arts professionals (such as exhibitions, performances, public conferences, workshops, screenings, reproductions for commercial and non-commercial use, exhibition installation, curation, etc.), in addition to promoting and monitoring the widespread use of these standards;
• Requesting the Italian government to adhere by guidelines such as the "Social Status of Artists" European Parliament resolution of 7 June 2007 on the social status of artists 2006/2249(INI) and their subsequent updates that take into consideration existing industry needs;
• Enabling access to [DESIGNATED FUNDS] in Europe dedicated to the production and acquisition of artworks, artistic training, and professional research and development, to be available regionally and nationally;
• Proposing the establishment of a [FUND FOR VISUAL ARTISTS] by expanding upon the pre-existing INPS PSMSAD (Fund for Painters, Sculptors, Musicians, Writers and Dramatic Authors);
• Calling for funding to be more transparent, inclusive, and reflective of current practices of cultural production, as well as arts education, by restructuring the current [SYSTEM OF OPEN CALLS AND GRANTS]. To this end, we ask for public funding to be conditional upon the fair remuneration of all the artists and professionals involved;
• Expanding the number of entities and activities who can benefit from [PATRONAGE] – such as Art Bonus – and provide additional tax deduction for donations made to support contemporary art;
• Facilitating [SPONSORSHIP] in contemporary art by bridging the information gap between possible sponsors and sponsees;
• Promoting [PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT] for artists, [ARTISTIC STUDIES], and the role of education in contemporary art in the education system in Italy;
[CONCLUSION]
Contemporary art workers operate at all levels of national and international cultural production, in both breadth and depth. Collectively, the sector does not only impact the [SOCIAL COHESION] of a community but also its [INTELLECTUAL AND CIVIC GROWTH], carrying significant economic repercussions across the country.
This manifesto3 represents the first step away from an unjustifiable and unacceptable condition of [INVISIBILITY], towards the goal of full civil and political recognition that takes into account the fundamental role, and its specificities, that contemporary art professionals occupy within the larger sphere of local and global cultural production.
3. The manifesto and agenda presented by AWI are to be considered exclusively political tools. Arising directly in response to the urgency that led to the spontaneous establishment of the group, this manifesto represents the main tool for conveying this energy across multiple public contexts such as the virtual march on the occasion of Primo Maggio Cittadino in Turin, 2020, during which the foundation of AWI was first publicly announced.
Italy, 1st May 2020
[ART WORKERS ITALIA]
Amos Cappuccio
Giulia Mengozzi
Lucrezia Calabrò Visconti
Elena Mazzi
Rosario Sorbello
Virginia Lupo
Francesca Masoero
Rebecca Moccia
Annalisa Pellino
Federico Pozuelo
Clara Scola
Davide Sgambaro
Alex Tripodi
Marta Bianchi
Bernardo Follini
Guido Tarricone
Riccardo Rudi
Eleonora Castagna
Lucia Bricco
Manuela Buttiglione
Cristina Masturzo
Christian Paris
Kęstutis Šapoka
Michele Lamacchia
Teresa Satta
Luca Pucci
Sara Benaglia
Lucia Trevisan
Fiona Winning
Chiara Jaya Baldassarri
Marta Naturale
Paul Hawkins
Lorenzo Casali
Eliana Romanelli
Anna Franceschini
Elisa Strinna
Haejee Park
Pietro Viti
Linda Di Pietro
Luisella Carnelli
Fabio Ranzolin
Giorgia Pinzauti
Simona Salerno
Marco Antelmi
Silvia Bramati
Davide Marcianesi
Silvia Sfligiotti
Maria Chiara Ciaccheri
Marianna Tassy
Luca Asta
Léna Lewis-King
Nataliya Teslenko
Leonardo Avesani
Erica Giacomazzi
Sara Conforti
Elena Ceretti Stein
Melania Andronic
Viviana Pozzoli
Vanessa Thill
Luca Bessi
Francesca Pionati
Chris Rocchegiani
Caroline Liou
Chiara Nuzzi
Carlo Martino
Eugenia Delfini
Marco Ranieri
Vitaliia Fedorova
Alan Ixba
Federico Arani
Rosa Lacavalla
Lorenzo Missoni
Olmo Costa
Alessia Volpe
Arianna Maestrale
Selina Bonelli
Valentina Gallo
Maria Marzia Minelli
Alice Colantuoni
Giacomo Briano
Roberto Paolini
Agnes Kohlmeyer
Domenico Garofalo
Raffaele Greco
Lorena Spurio
Alba Zari
Irene Dell’Orco
Giulia Marini
Arianna Sollazzo
Arianna Marchesan
Lavinia Trucco
Giulia Palomba
Start. associazione culturale
per l’arte contemporanea
Valentina Tebala
Elena Della Corna
Carlo Corona
Ilaria Goglia
Sara De Martino
Renato Romito
Lucia Fiorani
anita sciano
Giulia Floris
Stefano Ferrari
INCURVA
Sofia Baldi
Elsa Finardi
Filippo Gianessi
Mattia Varini
Giulia Beato
Alessandro Brighetti
Matteo Trentin
Alessandro bava
Sabra Renna
Francesca Disconzi
Flora Deborah
Luisa Badino
Federica Mirabella
Silvio Lorusso
Zoé Grant
Damiano Stivala
Federico Rita
Byron Gago
Sara Moscardini
Cesare Lopopolo
Linda Alborghetti
Marco Bellini
Francesca Vanoli
Fernanda Lira
Eva Chiara Trevisan
Elisa Barbero
Giuditta belloni
Arianna Ancona
Erinea Ravasio
Cinzia Pietribiasi
Andrea Botto
Tommaso Pagani
Martina brodolini
Margherita Rosati
Cianne Fragione
Adriana Ghimp
Delphine Valli
Sabrina morreale
Marta Bracci
Elena Lunghi
Niccolò Quaresima
Andrea Kantos
Francesco Mangiafridda
Martina Tina Grifoni
Francesco Passannante
Marta Ferrara
Fabiola Mele
Elena Giovannetti
Azzurra Immediato
Cristina Cobianchi
Elisabetta Calligaro
Federico Manfredini
Giulio Dal Molin
Valeria D'Ambrosio
Sonia Rezzonico
Rossella Cesaro
Anna Beghelli
Francesca Fontana
Fabrizio Longo
Angelica Lala
Ningyuan Zheng
Francesca Romana Pinzari
Giovanni Leone
Ginevra Ludovici
Ginevra Ludovici
Francesco De Conno
Giulia Savorani
Ludovica Moro
Renato Grieco
Luca Guidarini
Alessandro Di Lorenzo
Georgia Privitera
Felice Moramarco
Alessandra Caccia
Nazzarena Poli Maramotti
Andrea Caretto
Pietro Librizzi
Elena Tammaro
Shuai Yin
Rocco Venezia
Viola Pati
Giulia Angeloni
Valeria Segna
Margo Lengua
Federico Peruzzotti
Margherita Rosati
Stefano Faoro
Andrea Carpita
Nicola Cabras
Annachiara De Maio
Martina Cesani
Miriam Marafioti
Ceccarelli Jacopo
Cristina Gatti
Giacomo Bissi
Ilaria Davanzo
Martina Cona
Davide Tolfo
Mario Margani
Chiara Vitali
Federica Di Pietrantonio
Lorenzo Gerletti
Matteo Zoccolo
Jacopo Oliveri
Federico Ciamei
Irene Coppola
Victoria DeBlassie
Miriam Rejas Del Pino
Francesco Imola
Dafne Salis
Claudio Costantino
Beatrice Zerbato
Irene Zardini
Samuela Nigra
Serena Cutrone
Alice Dimastrogiovanni
Stefania Balocco
Giulia Morucchio
Natalia Trejbalova
Riccardo Govoni
Cecilia Moya Rivera
Jonathan Gobbi
Annalisa Zegna
Isabel Andolfo
Laura Faraone
Fabiola Cangiano
Alessandro De Vecchi
Alice Stivala
Viola Leddi
Irene Angenica
Fulvia Bernacca
Chiara Arturo
Romina Bassu
Lidia Bianchi
Denise Duina
Adriana Leanza
Romina Cemin
Lorenzo Minneci
Isabella Mongelli
Valentina Megali
Silvia Dell'Amore
Ilaria Schipani
Daniele Nicolosi
Elisa Calore
Gabriele Benci
Giulia Caruso
Marta Federici
Ginevra D'oria
Beatrice Marchi
Vincenzo Estremo
Maria Elena Ciullo
Mirijam Heiler
Alessandra Biscaro
Martina Camani
Corinna Trucco
Yasmine Helou
Nilo Amlashi
Lucia Pedrana
Mirijam Heiler
Alisa Marghella
Eugenia Delfini
Dafne Boggeri
Anna Raimondo
Sara Dolfi Agostini
Francesca Valentini
Mattia Marchetti
Federica Fiumelli
Melania Fusco
Silvia Jo Esposito (AFTERALL)
Caterina Erica
Giulia Dellavalle
Sara Catenacci
Francis Offman
Anna Daneri
Come
Elena Zanella
Simone Ridi
Simona Barbera
Nicola Andreani
Cecilia Chianese
Valeria Pierini
Serena Facchiano
Caterina Giangrasso
Sara Serighelli
Federico Poni
Francesca Faccini
Riccardo Giacconi
Niccolò Masini
Corinne Mazzoli
Alice Pedroletti
Justin Randolph Thompson
Irene Guendalini
Caterina Erica Shanta
Rachele D'Osualdo
Veronica Santi
Eugenia De Francesco
Giulia Gregnanin
Eleonora Ianni
Lucia Veronesi
Alessia Cargnelli
Alessandra Saviotti
Gabriele Rendina Cattani
Alessia Certo
Giulia Vannucci
Niccolò Benetton
Daniela Di Lullo
Ludovica Martina
Francesca Cerfeda
Greta Di Poce
Marco Bartesaghi
Matilde Cerruti Quara
Sofia Ricciardi
Francesca Manni
Federico Festa
Matteo Pizzolante
Giorgia de Santi
Valentina Ornaghi
Maurizio Di Leo
Corrado Gagliano
Associazione Culturale Materia
PHASE collective
Jacopo Buono
Alessandra Atzori
Francesco Salmaso
Nazzarena Poli Maramotti
Clara Romita
Xhulia Likaj
Carlo Maria Amadio
Dolores Pulella
Valeria Minaldi
Maria Dolores Mansilla Sánchez
Monica Mazzone
Damiano Tata
Anna Vezzosi
Brenda Vaiani
Alessandra Fredianelli
Cecilia Del Gatto
Silvia Margaria
Alice Moroni
Giulia Bonora
Martina Cavalli
Luca De Leva
Federica Cornelli
Nelita Mastrorillo
Marina Cavadini
Nicoletta Grillo
Alessandro Di Pietro
Lisa Buffagni
Alessandra Leta
Mariolina de paolis
Giulia Bonora
Giorgia Gandolfini
Cristiana Teveroni
Agata
Silvia De Carlo
Fabiana Giulietti
Rebecca Sivieri
Emanuele Guidi
Caterina Milazzo
Cecilia Borettaz
Maki Ochoa
Giulia Bonora
Olga Trevisan
Francisco Navarrete Sitja
Alessandro Ruzzier
Tobia de Marco
Ambra Pittoni
Bianca Delapierre
Giuseppina Giordano
Francesca Migone
Valeria Geltrude Vittoria Esposito
Alessandra Troncone
Antonio Idini
Stefano Menichini
Giada Mazzocato
Marco Peri
Eleonora Marzani
Francesca Brugola
Gianandrea Poletta
Agnese Spolverini
Melania
Serena Schioppa
Sara Marchesi
Silvia Hell
Marta Trombini
Tita Tummillo
Laura Gradi
Pietro Viti
Alessandro Gambato
Eleonora liperoti
Alberto Podio
Erica Barattin
Xuein Caceres
Resilienza.art
Giorgia Garzilli
Enrico Rinaldi
Enrico Vezzi
Rachele Sotgiu
Andrea Gross Gaiani
Alice Labor
Lucia Gigli
Bruna Del Bello
Simona Andrioletti
Fabio Santacroce
Iliano Gerou
Grazia Sechi
Sara Cattin
Arianna Cortello
Georgia Privitera
Dario Moalli
Stefania Rispoli
Maryna Rybakova
Angelica Ceccato
Riccardo Milanese
Giuseppe Mirigliano
Manuela Piccolo
Marta Fassina
Sefora Tarì
Caterina Guadagno
Roberta della Malva
Francesca Melotti
Renato Longobardi
Rodolfo Marraffa
Alessandro Rinaldi
Elena Fregonas
Ahmed kdari
Leonardo Santini
Francesca Todde
Geraldine Blais
Marco Marinini
Luca Savini
Luca Staccioli
Chiara Mignani
Stefano Rossi
Alessandro Panciera
Maria Cecilia Canè
Gabriele Zagaglia
Giuliana Rosso
Daniele Alef Grillo
Alessandro Simonini
Michela Depetris
Federica Di Carlo
Tobia Bandini
Chiara Cecconello
Silvia Vannacci
Rocío Herrera
Federica Zotti
Camilla Marinoni
Davide Zucco
Renata Zas
Laura Agnusdei
Lorenzo Pennati
Roberta Aureli
Francesca Cirilli
Irene Adorni
Loretta Zaganelli
Giulio Verago
Emanuela Enna
Virginia Zanetti
Virginia Zanetti
Sarah Guarino Werner
Michela Coslovich
Sara Maietta
Valeria Pierini
Diego Tonus
Celty Ciane
Elisa Crostella
Riccardo Berrone
Niccolò Basso
Fulvio Celico
Laura Pugno
Alessandra Carosi
Marta Orsola Sironi
Serena Becagli
Celeste Dalla Libera
Lorenzo Abbà
Violetta Barba
Julia Frank
Sabrina Melis
Giovanni Pasini
Roberta Lo Grasso
Carolina Ciuti
Agatha Toltst
Sarp Renk Ozer
Elisa Barrera
Andrea Respino
Camilla Compagni
Elisa Campanella
Andrea Magnani
Guido La Vespa
Ginu U Mitra
Maria Adele Del Vecchio
Davide Tolfo
Giulia Iacolutti
Lorenzo Valè
Giulia Cacciuttolo
Luana Corrias
Grace Gomez
Michela Curti
Sophia Leitenmayer
Lula Broglio
Lucia Gigli
AFTERALL (Silvia & Enzo)
Stefano De Gregori
Mattia Marchetti
Agnieszka Fąferek
Francesca Banchelli
Gail Cochrane
Giulia Lazzaron
Matilde Sambo
Micaela Flenda
Giovanni Sambo
Angela La Rosa
Marco Paltrinieri
roberta toscano
Angela La Rosa
Iva lulashi
Valentina Durante
Camille Regli
Caterina Molteni
Margherita Moro
Alessia Taló
Josephine Baan
Federica Martini
Enzo Esposito (AFTERALL)
Nicola Rotiroti
Silvia Esposito (AFTERALL)
Alessio D'Ellena
Sara Petretto
Lucia Leuci
Simona Vaccaro
Paloma Leyton
Paloma Leyton
Ilaria Leonetti
Giovanni Zanda
Amanda Servadio
Alessandro Ruzzier
Roberto Casti
Yuliya Say
Chiara Bugatti
Treti Galaxie
Ramona Ponzini
Matteo Mottin
Pelin Zeytinci
Rob O Shea
Giacomo Giannantonio
Gianluca Sensale
Zoë De Luca
Marzia Avallone
Mattia Marchetti
Ester Grossi
Emanuela Ascari
Virginia Zanetti
Claudia Petraroli
Cleo Fariselli
Marco Peri
Marco Di Giuseppe
Isabella Pers
Giulia Fumagalli
Martina Iavolato
Laura Faraone
Lori Adragna
Guildor
Cristiano Gabrielli
Maria Giovanna Virga
Michela Lupieri
Marco Gobbi
Nicholas Ferrara (aaron inker)
Chiara Ciucci Giuliani
Maximiliano Siñani
Ambra Bergamasco
Asli Samadova
Dario Giovanni Alì
Kjell Caminha
Lucia Zappacosta
Ivan Gervasoni
Laura Callegaro
Jacopo Miliani
Beatrice Sacco
Alessio Mazzaro
Pietro Consolandi
Fabio Valerio Tibollo
Francesca Vason
Fabien Marques
Martina Melilli
Nuvola Ravera
Vasco Forconi
Pamela Breda
Jessica Bianchera
Francesca Blandino
Anna Stoppa
Pietro Ballero
Marta Papini
Ruth Beraha
Niccolò Moronato
Eva Basso
Fabio Roncato
Ilaria Conti
Silvia Filippi
Federica Di Pietrantonio
Marianna De Marzi
Ilaria Restivo
Sveva Angeletti
Irene Mina
Manuel Esposito
Alessandra Cecchini
Edoardo Aruta
Diego Pagnini
Sara Benaglia
Dario Bassani
Nicola Lorini
Vera Maglioni
Chiara Salmini
Francesca Tiziani
Ann Marie Vasta
Luisa Santacesaria
Mattia Macchieraldo
Tomá Benfatti
Ilaria Lupo
Ilaria Trees Meridio
Matteo Trentin
Claudia Capelli
Giordano Tricarico
Marco Ginex
Andrea Parenti
Alberto Luparelli
Beatrice Forchini
Jared Madere
Anna Bianchi
Alessandro Lonati
Giuseppe Mongiello
Viviana Cici
Matteo Valerio
Federica Mirabella
Ilaria Bossa
Dalia Maini
Mauro Panichella
Benedetta Casagrande
Marina Picardi
Fabiola Skraqi
Sara Basta
Gabriele Germano Gaburro
Virginia Russolo
Elisa Caldana
Floida Skraqi
Gaia Mazzola
Federico Fumagalli
Alice Delva
Rosanna D'Ortona
Vittoria Caprotti
Marco Pasquale Rossetti
Marta Goglio
Max mondini
Gaia Liscia
Gaetano Cunsolo
Giulio Ancona
Chiara Ventura
Emilio Vavarella
Maria Adele Del Vecchio
Elena Radice
Alexis Rosas Carrillo
C.p
Philippens Pauline
Agnes Kohlmeyer
Iulia Radu
Francesca Ruberto
Marco Curiale
Ginevra Ussardi
Gianmarco Porru
Leila Gharib
Fabio Ranzolin
Riccardo Bertoia
Alice Caracciolo
Sarah Abdelqader
Massimo NevoaNaRua
Agnese Smaldone
Dana Kopel
Giulia Fiumara
Eleonora Quadri
Matteo Ferrari
Matilde Cassarini
Filippo Andreatta
Fiammetta Monika Cessari
Miriam Corona
Irene Fenara
Michele Guido
Francesca Fattinger
Bianca Carague
Akderu
Riccardo Muroni
Casa Capra
Nicolò Mazza
Saverio Bonato
Paolo Possidente
Caterina Avataneo
Sofia Pires
Federico Clavarino
Giulia Nicolino
Daniella Isamit Morales
Leo Bontà
Matilde Soligno
Chiara Percivati
Veronica Viotti
Riccardo Banfi
Vittoria Toscana
Emmanuele Pilia
Sarah Abdel-Qader
Erica Gargaglione
Thomas Spieler
Sara Di Lauro
Chiara Arisi
Giulia Deval
Stefano bencini
Claudio Castaneda
Giuliano Orlandi
Giammarco Cugusi
Claudia Professione
Michele Guido
Giacomo Montanelli
Claudio Corfone
Ilaria Zanella
Constantin Jopeck
Luca Gandola
Marco Useli
Lorenzo Lazzari
Raffaele Morabito
Giulia Carpentieri
Alessio Guardini
Valeria Pierini
Claudia Contu
Annachiara De Maio
Ylenia Porpora
Milena Catalano
Sandy Barra
Kristian Sturi
Tommaso Garavini
Federica Lamedica
Claudia De Guidi
Cristiano Gabrielli
Enricomaria De Napoli (Ryts Monet)
Elisa Pezza
Elsa Finardi
Giulia Deganello
Irene Sofia Comi
Francesca Cerutti
Davide Gambaretto
Anto. Milotta
Francesca Altamura
Caterina Morigi
Pietro Gaglianò
Nicola Chemotti
Federico Cantale
Beatrice Migliorati
Eleonora Bonino
Rachele Palma
Nina Ćeranić
Roberta Lo Grasso
Alessandro Manfrin
Selena Pastorino
Francesca Pietrisanti
Marta Muschietti
Andrea Lo Giudice
Chiara Onestini
Yasmine Helou
Martina Cesani
Elisabetta Reali
Molly Di Grazia
Riccardo Michetti
Francis Offman
Silvia Villan
Caterina Fondelli
Sara Enrico
Maria Tolaini
Ilaria Cascino
Giulia
Luca Morino
Isabella Quaranta
Federico Delfrati
Edoardo Lazzari
Jacopo Da San Martino
Antonella Croci
Eleonora Gargantini
Giuliano Ravazzini
Loredana Grasso
G.Olmo Stuppia
Katie Simpson
Usua Argomaniz
Fabiola Fiocco
Elena Giulia Abbiatici
Maria Luigia Gioffre
Elisa Troiano
Alessandra Franetovich
Giacomo Raffaelli
Marco Sgarbossa
Cecilia Caporlingua
Dragos Olea
Stefano Volpato
Francesco Pozzato
Simona Lodi
Isabella Pers
Gilberto Sborea
Giorgio Cellini
Ilaria Dal Lago
Francesco Pacelli
Marta Trombini
Weronika Grelow
Kristin Jones
García Inés
Jacopo Natoli
Manuel Urrazza
Giulia Restifo
Federico Castelli Santos
Ronny Faber Dahl
Mattia Cappellazzo
Elke Hennen
Letizia Artioli
Giada Crispiels
Micaela Flenda
Margherita Zapf
Matteo Locci
Maddalena Granziera
Dora Tass
Serena Trinchero
Iacopo Seri
Andrea Caretto
PAMCOC
Giulia Mangoni
Roberta Garieri
Gaia Di Lorenzo
Enrico Floriddia
Andrea Martinucci
Francesca Todde
Flavia Tritto
Alessandra Chiericato
Sara Enrico
Stefania Marini
Giuditta Sole
Federica Peyrolo
Donato Nubile
Chiara Trivelli
Jessica Bizzoni
federica arcoraci
Lucia Bergamaschi
Giacomo Segantin
Silvana Cincotti
Gloria Ronchi
Alessio Ancillai
Anton Roca
Sabrina Losenno
Beatrice Zanelli
Maria Luigia Gioffre
Luisa Perlo
Jacopo Belloni
Alessandra
Ilaria Fagone
Mario Verolini
Camilla Pacelli
Carlotta Campanini
Matilde di Pietropaolo
Maria Virginia Moratti
Martina Rota
Caterina Filippini
Valeria Pavese
Vicente Cabrera
Ilaria Zampieri
[ART WORKERS ITALIA] is an informal, autonomous, and non-partisan group of contemporary art workers formed in response to the current crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
[AWI] includes all figures who operate within public and private organisations and institutions for contemporary art – such as museums, foundations, cultural associations, universities, independent spaces, galleries – and/or those who carry out freelance work in collaboration with these organisations. Together, we have convened under [AWI] to communicate our demands with a single [INDEPENDENT VOICE].
We are [ART WORKERS]: artists, performers, curators, assistant curators, researchers, museum educators, art handlers, producers, lighting and sound technicians, registrars, videomakers, art critics, art writers, art historians, invigilators, couriers, gallery assistants, project managers, consultants, coordinators, conservators, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, animators, studio assistants, communication and social media managers, and press office staff.
[ART WORKERS ITALIA]
The name [ART WORKERS ITALIA]1 underlines our [LOCAL AND TRANSNATIONAL] perspectives: our analysis of working conditions is informed by the international community of contemporary art workers, while our understanding of workers and their needs is rooted in the historical and political context of Italy, in dialogue with other initiatives supporting [PRECARIOUS CULTURAL WORK].
1. The reference to the historical Art Workers Coalition (1969) did not influence our decision to name ourselves Art Workers Italia, but is certainly part of the cultural references shared by the group.
[WHY WAS AWI FOUNDED?]
[ART WORKERS ITALIA] was founded in response to the social and economic [CRISIS] caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For many of us, the crisis has resulted in the suspension and/or loss of jobs and projects. Furthermore, these selfsame employment arrangements have been the reason for exclusion, in most cases, from any form of social safety net or [PROTECTION] envisaged by the government in the “Cura Italia” decree, such as the cash supplement for unemployed workers or one-off bonus paid by INPS (National Institute for Social Security).
The criticality of the situation, amplified by the increase in demand for unpaid digital content during the quarantine by public and private entities, has clearly revealed several [STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS] of the sector. The majority of our work is [IRREGULAR] and [FRAGMENTED], defined by atypical and intermittent contracts, creating an [UNTENABLE] working situation. Furthermore, the lack of protective entities specific to our needs weakens the bargaining power at our disposal. Together with the fact that our wages often neither adequately compensate for the hours and quality of work done, nor the training and experience required, these conditions render our current working circumstances extremely [VULNERABLE].
All of this occurs in a sector in which wages barely above the poverty line coexist with the standards and regulations of the luxury goods industry, where an unacceptable percentage of unofficial and [UNAUTHORISED WORK] is simultaneously accompanied by high levels of education. It is in this context that, instead of monetary remuneration, alternative forms of “compensation” are imposed, with promises of exposure, networking, and building one’s reputation for the sake of a future (yet uncertain) position.
This is supported by an [ELITIST SYSTEM]2 which complicity incentivises a dynamic of competition and [SELF-EXPLOITATION]. Ultimately, this situation undermines a healthy working environment based on respect for skills, training, experience, and collaboration.
2. The possibilities of professional success in the field of contemporary art are often directly proportional to the capital available at one’s outset. Because this capital can also be social or cultural in addition to being an economic one, we have chosen to use the term “elitist” instead of “classist”.
[WHAT DOES AWI DO?]
[AWI] voices [MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES] and [NEEDS] through [COLLABORATIVE] and [SELF-DIRECTED] inquiry, forming a critical mass and advocating for the inalienable right for the recognition of our status as workers, and along with it our subsequent rights and obligations. The organisation is divided into [COMMITTEES], according to different areas of focus, in order to articulate concrete proposals both in response to the ongoing emergency and in the long term.
[AWI] aims to define, develop, and provide operational [TOOLS] that provide support concerning ethical, political, legal and contractual nature. Our areas of focus include: strengthening and developing definitive measures of protection; studying the [SPECIFICITIES] of the non-profit sector; researching historical workers’ [STRUGGLES] in Italy; creating a comparative analysis of [GOOD PRACTICES] already tested in EU and non-EU countries; and identifying and coordinating with other national and international initiatives to protect [COGNITIVE LABOUR].
[ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF AWI]
[AWI] upholds the principles of [INCLUSIVITY] and [SUSTAINABILITY] as fundamental prerequisites of ethical conduct. We cannot, and we refuse, to discount the necessary solidarity with all workers who are underpaid and exploited. Furthermore, we strive towards a systemic change supporting an [EGALITARIAN FUTURE] for all [MARGINALISED IDENTITIES] in respect to gender, ethnicity, class, ability, sexual orientation, religion, age, and nationality. [AWI] is not an artistic or curatorial project – rather, it is a non-hierarchical and collective undertaking.
[GOALS OF AWI]
Our strategic perspective, in the short and long term, is to focus on the [RECOGNITION] of the profession of contemporary art workers, the [REGULATION] of employment relationships, the [REDISTRIBUTION] of resources, and the reform and [RESTRUCTURING] of the entire sector. Building upon previous efforts undertaken by others, Art Workers Italia is currently working in dialogue with several research institutions, universities, foundations, and cooperatives: to conduct [SURVEYS] designed to provide quantitative and qualitative information regarding contemporary art workers in Italy; provide training materials for professionals working within the sector; and develop a [CODE OF CONDUCT] specific to cultural work, that acknowledges its financial and value-extraction operations.
[COVID-19 EMERGENCY REQUESTS]
Following requests already made by other social and cultural sectors, [AWI] asks the Italian government for:
• [BASIC ECONOMIC SUPPORT] corresponding to the gravity of the situation;
• The extension of the measures already outlined in the “Cura Italia” decree to those who do not yet have a [SOCIAL SAFETY NET], a condition that affects the majority of the people who work in the sector, as they are subject to intermittent employment contracts or contingent work, and thus reach the minimum days of employment necessary with difficulty;
• Confirmation of the appropriations provided by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism regarding projects and events scheduled for 2020-2021 and, where necessary, the reallocation of funds for research and production activities;
• Fiscal and tax relief, such as the extension of the 2019 tax balance for the current year; the suspension of advance payment under “Gestione Separata INPS” (Separate Management INPS) for self-employed workers, whether as a lump sum or otherwise; the suspension of Synthetic Indices of Tax Reliability (ISA); and finally, the lessening of rents – through tax credit – for non-profit associations and other premises used for artistic production – including [ARTIST STUDIOS];
• A policy addressing the [COMPENSATION] of digital and online art production;
[LONG-TERM GOALS]
Together with various institutions and entities, [AWI] will work towards the long-term goals concerning the following macro-themes: worker protection, the establishment of designated funds, and the reassessment of a system of increased competition and professionalisation. We aim to create an overarching organisation that can connect a constellation of individuals and associations, representing their collective needs and demands within the [PUBLIC SPHERE]. These include:
• Developing a [PROFESSIONAL CHARTER] for those working in the contemporary arts, modelled after the National Chart of Museum professions (2006);
• Identifying key points in the current legislation applicable to contractual [EMPLOYEE] positions; developing legal forms that more accurately reflect current working situations, with the intent of proposing one or more drafts for future models of national contracts relevant to the different roles within the field of contemporary art;
• Creating new ATECO codes (Italian Classification of Economic Activity), or revising pre-existing ATECO codes, for [INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS] to adequately address more specific needs and extend to the legal protection such as unemployment benefits, sick leave, maternity leave, and parental leave;
• Proposing [FAIR COMPENSATION] for services rendered by artists and arts professionals (such as exhibitions, performances, public conferences, workshops, screenings, reproductions for commercial and non-commercial use, exhibition installation, curation, etc.), in addition to promoting and monitoring the widespread use of these standards;
• Requesting the Italian government to adhere by guidelines such as the "Social Status of Artists" European Parliament resolution of 7 June 2007 on the social status of artists 2006/2249(INI) and their subsequent updates that take into consideration existing industry needs;
• Enabling access to [DESIGNATED FUNDS] in Europe dedicated to the production and acquisition of artworks, artistic training, and professional research and development, to be available regionally and nationally;
• Proposing the establishment of a [FUND FOR VISUAL ARTISTS] by expanding upon the pre-existing INPS PSMSAD (Fund for Painters, Sculptors, Musicians, Writers and Dramatic Authors);
• Calling for funding to be more transparent, inclusive, and reflective of current practices of cultural production, as well as arts education, by restructuring the current [SYSTEM OF OPEN CALLS AND GRANTS]. To this end, we ask for public funding to be conditional upon the fair remuneration of all the artists and professionals involved;
• Expanding the number of entities and activities who can benefit from [PATRONAGE] – such as Art Bonus – and provide additional tax deduction for donations made to support contemporary art;
• Facilitating [SPONSORSHIP] in contemporary art by bridging the information gap between possible sponsors and sponsees;
• Promoting [PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT] for artists, [ARTISTIC STUDIES], and the role of education in contemporary art in the education system in Italy;
[CONCLUSION]
Contemporary art workers operate at all levels of national and international cultural production, in both breadth and depth. Collectively, the sector does not only impact the [SOCIAL COHESION] of a community but also its [INTELLECTUAL AND CIVIC GROWTH], carrying significant economic repercussions across the country.
This manifesto3 represents the first step away from an unjustifiable and unacceptable condition of [INVISIBILITY], towards the goal of full civil and political recognition that takes into account the fundamental role, and its specificities, that contemporary art professionals occupy within the larger sphere of local and global cultural production.
3. The manifesto and agenda presented by AWI are to be considered exclusively political tools. Arising directly in response to the urgency that led to the spontaneous establishment of the group, this manifesto represents the main tool for conveying this energy across multiple public contexts such as the virtual march on the occasion of Primo Maggio Cittadino in Turin, 2020, during which the foundation of AWI was first publicly announced.
Italy, 1st May 2020
[ART WORKERS ITALIA]