MembersNEWNew in the Members’ Room: Suzy Dean writes on The government's misogynistic attitude towards women and booze. Dolan Cummings debates Islamists on free speech. Manick Govinda draws attention to UK Home Office curbs on non-EU artists, and suggests a campaign to defend artists' freedom to work across borders. Mark Harrop is organising VIP Nights in pubs across the north of England to protest against the smoking ban. Michele Ledda's petition against banning of a poem from the school curriculum has been widely covered, and he has also argued on radio against the removal of Gary Glitter from the music curriculum. James Panton gives a talk defending freedom in Edinburgh, and Frank Furedi will give a lecture in London on The Political Significance of the Economic Crisis. New on the Vetting Blog: Tenants turfed out for refusing to fill in forms; CRB checking tooth fairy; Children’s authors under suspicion; Flats halted because balconies have ‘view of school’. Read on… |
Artistic Autonomy Hub
We criticise and oppose pressure on artists to work towards the targets of politicians. We also oppose restrictions on freedom of expression, which ultimately affect all artists who seek to address the experience of contemporary life. We seek to encourage an experimental artistic culture, which is not afraid to make mistakes in the search for truthful forms of expression. We are interested in starting a debate about what students can expect from art school - what is wrong with the current system, and what might a free art school look like? See this article, 'Opting Out', in the latest issue of Art Monthly; and this statement, Towards a free art school. This hub is coordinated by JJ Charlesworth, an art critic and lecturer. If you would like to be involved, or recommend another area of work, contact jj.charlesworth@jjcharlesworth.com. |
The Manifesto Club supports:'Enlightenment is humanity's emergence from self-imposed immaturity. Dare to know! Have courage to use your own understanding!' Immanuel Kant 'What characterises man is his extreme abundance of imagination; therefore, that man is a fantastic animal and that universal history is the gigantic, continuous and insistent effort to go, little by little, putting some order into the crazy fantasy.' José Ortega y Gasset |
We are a network of artists, arts administrators, researchers and students who want to defend artistic autonomy in all its forms. A vibrant artistic culture is founded upon artistic freedom. The only limits for artists should be the limits of the discipline and limits that they choose for themselves. 