Connection
2020 SEA Art Labor & Social Participation Exchange Project
2020
2020.05−2020.12
The Taipei Art Creator Trade Union expanded on its 2019 fieldwork spotlighting art communities in Thailand and Vietnam in juxtaposition with that of Taiwan’s to research and exchange on art practitioners’ working conditions and social participation.
The Union combed through various literature on Thailand and Vietnam's history and global status in an attempt to understand the local art scene's political and economic landscape in terms of local art economies, marketization levels, artist income levels, local participation and art events, the role of the government, reproduction of the art industry's labor force, etc. to then compare with the art industry and labor status of Taiwan. In addition to past contract templates for art practitioners provided by the Union, a forum was also held to discuss topics such as "Outlier of Arts & Arts in Social Movements," "Outsiders— Art Ecology of TW/TH/VN," and "Arts in the Time of Pandemic" connecting art practitioners from Thailand and Vietnam with art communities in Taiwan. The Union's objective is to explore pathways in addition to commodification and marketization through comparing the national experiences of Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries and to expand the topic of art labor through art communities' engagement and actions in social issues.
Taipei Art Creator Trade Union
The Taipei Art Creator Trade Union was prepared, drafted, and advocated by creators to push the government to recognize art practitioners as an occupation. With nearly thousands of members from different art domains, the Union strives to advocate for art creator's rights, fundamental protection, and benefits.
