Diversity Commons – Event no 1: Rethinking Class within the Art Sector

In Rethinking Class within the Art Sector UKK is pleased to invite AAAA to have a collaborative discussion taking class as a point of departure to frame conversation about socio-cultural and political-economic issues within the (Danish) art sector. As part of the Diversity Commons project, UKK’s newly established Art and Economy working group has decided to put focus on class as a point of departure to begin imagining a more inclusive art sector and begin unpacking important issues through “class lenses”. This encompasses a range of important issues such as economic (in)equality, working conditions, geographic distribution of (cultural) resources, conditions within the built environment, (financial) access to cultural institutions and art education, among many others.

As such, AAAA’s practice in working for improved class and economic relations in a municipal and regional context since 2019 through targeted advocacy and experimental projects is notable. From their lobby work toward helping realize new municipal funding for art in Aalborg Municipality, to their push to reform art institutions, or their collaborative project making, e.g. with their recent “class beer” project, they have experimented with localized approaches to economic advocacy in a Danish context in interesting ways. Therefore, by UKK and AAAA unfolding “class” related practices across art interest organizations from different scales together along with the public, both localized, regional, and national perspectives will be discussed. This will hopefully expose common ground in class and economic advocacy and policy making strategies artistic advocacy contexts.

As a contextual backdrop for the event, AAAA’s unique class beer featured in the project ELIMINATE ARTISTIC POVERTY, IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS from 2022 will be featured.

This event marks the first public moment of UKK’s new project Diversity Commons. In Diversity Commons, UKK is seeking to link different actors through a public research project of coalition building, mutual exploration, discovery, and community that will help facilitate conditions for sustained growth within diversity research and advocacy across the Danish art sector. Working with a range of different partners and institutions across scales and contexts, the project will seek to create a collaborative and inclusive environment to explore and facilitate different conversations on diversity (with)in the Danish art sector through a series of public events taking place in different cities across the country in 2024.

Diversity Commons is generously supported by Bikubenfonden. UKK would like to thank Huset i Hasserisgade for venue support.

*This event is free of admission – no sign up is required. Huset’s concert hall is wheelchair accessible via elevator located on the inner courtyard. Complimentary Snacks and Drinks will be served. Register with Huset if you would like to join for vegetarian community dining with UKK and AAAA at Huset’s Cafe after the event for 50kr. The event will be in English.

Bios

Lawrence Ebelle (FR/US) is a curator, art organizer, and architect based in Copenhagen. Her visual cultural practice encompasses different social-political and spatial questions across exhibition contexts and the built environment. She is a board member of Building Diversity, The Danish Architects Association, and UKK, where she is a co-founder of UKK’s new Art and Economy Working Group.

Kamilla Mez (DK) is a visual artist and graphic designer with a fine arts background from Master of Fine Art program at HDK-Valand in Gothenburg, Sweden, and bachelor in Art and Technology at Aalborg University. She lives and works in Aalborg, where she has been part of organising a row of artistic platforms, among others Aalborg Artist’s Association (AAAA) since 2019.

Scott William Raby (US/DK) is an artist, art organizer, and chair of UKK since 2022. His art practice often deals with rethinking economic, organisational, and legal infrastructures within artistic and broader societal contexts. He currently lives in Aalborg and works collaboratively across different artistic platforms and organizations, including f.eks., which he co-founded in 2018.