Rebel in the arts
By Grace Okereke
I often write about the value I see in working internationally and explain why I focus on international cultural exchanges—as exemplified in my February 2024 column, “Can Internationalism Support Growth in the Dance Sector?”
While I continue to believe in the benefits, both professionally and personally, I find myself questioning the true gains of internationalism in the performing arts as I spend more time attending marketplaces, festivals and network events in various countries.
As I write this article, many shifts and crises are happening in regions that could be considered liberal in their support for the performing arts. But with political influences reshaping the agendas of these governments, many countries that have built strong infrastructures to support the sector through regular and reliable local, state and national funding are finding themselves negatively affected by the long and/or short arm of partisan rhetoric. Seismic funding cuts are decimating the current landscape, affecting regularly funded organisations, venues and the independent sector alike. What’s more, with the intersection of local and global political agendas, there is a growing level of censorship being seen in countries that historically allow freedom of artistic speech.
How does this affect our approach to working on an international scale? When attending events, I closely observe both attendees and absentees. I’ve noticed that the international scene is frequently populated by the same players—typically representatives from about three international regions, often from the same companies or organisations. I use the term “representatives” loosely, as not everyone necessarily aims to represent their region; some represent themselves, their companies or specific works. However, certain countries seem to make a concerted effort to be present, sending representatives from funding bodies or national agencies with the agenda of promoting their country’s arts.
As someone who works in the independent sector, attending these international opportunities is financially challenging, and the ideal return on investment would be securing show bookings and developing new projects. I genuinely enjoy trying to find shared ground or commonality between who I represent and the potential partner in the region. But as an independent, I watch the bigger players from large venues or festivals go over my head as they talk directly with each other to make their deals and opportunities. The few of us in attendance that sit outside of receiving regular subsidies often don’t leverage enough professional currency to feel like we can make strong inroads with these larger institutions. Between us, we communicate and would be interested in cultural collaborations; however, all too often, we don’t have the ready cash, capital or capacity to bring ideas to fruition. This leads me back to my initial question about the true value of internationalism in the arts, if those who want to make it happen can’t and those who can seemingly have an agenda that feels like it benefits the few. This is arguably a one-sided perspective that can be considered unbalanced; however, after spending much of my time travelling and engaging in these exchanges, I am left wondering how much of the international scene is just a political show rather than an artistic coming together. During the events, we talk and share knowledge and perspectives, and a few selected works are presented, but how much do these activities push us forward as a sector? What really happens after the events are over?
Currently, I am unaware of any statistics or findings based on empirical data about the impact of international events on those who attend from around the globe. Drawing from my first-hand experience, I feel that we often perceive these international events as inherently valuable. However, I would argue that, in relation to tangible outcomes, the turnaround of such value is limited to the few who can afford to repeatedly participate, sometimes taking years to bear fruit. This leaves many independent companies and artists out of the loop as funding this is challenging. On the other hand, when it comes to camaraderie, a meeting of minds and creating space for shared voices, I do believe that there can often be great value in international exchanges.
In summary, I am not trying to diminish the value of working internationally, but rather to express my concerns about the direction we may be headed due to increased political shifts and financial constraints, which historically creates an elitism about who has a voice. As I represent those often underrepresented and overlooked, I can’t ignore the fact that things look set to get worse for us. For now, I watch and listen to what is unfolding, hoping that we do not ignore the past, lest we be destined to repeat it.
