Individual Artist Preconference RECAP: U.N.I.T.Y: How Do We Align Divergent Approaches to Supporting Artists’ Work and Well-being in the 21st Century

Support for Individual Artists Committee

Figure 1 Individual Artist Preconference : Morning Session Graphic Notes

On November 5, 2023, Grantmakers in the Arts kicked off the annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Support for Individual Artist Committee planned a pre-conference event around the theme, artists as workers. The day included artists and arts workers leading sessions focused on four current funding models: large, life-changing awards to individual, professional artists; guaranteed basic income to artists; supporting artists in administrative roles; and cross-sector coalitions to design safety nets for all.  

The session addressed the following questions:  

•  What are the methodologies that we employ to support the artist as a worker?  

• How do we work together to make sure artists aren’t left out of the overlay of the funding strategies we hold as best practices?  

• If funders can't fund everyone, how are we funding infrastructure?  

• Whether it is at the policy level or coops, how do we enable artists even without direct funding (i.e. performing arts equitable payroll fund is supposed to make up for AP 5 and artists not being paid)?  

• How can we better support grassroots efforts to be more active in the policy space?   

Figure 2 Individual Artist Preconference : Afternoon Session Graphic Notes

Noelia Mercedes García Rodríguez was the graphic recorder for the day and summarized the highlights from the morning session and afternoon sessions.