Gold
I feel now is the time to make it happen for myself as I have been struggling to get support for a larger scale project. Manchester has been very good to me and has a vibrant live art/performance circuit, however it does feel like a bit of desert for the mid career artist. Its great starting new projects, although longer research and development periods are also needed. I have been lucky the past year and been paid mostly by artist led spaces to perform. I recently participated at an a-n focus group on artists getting paid and this discussion has really kicked me up the bum to get my own funding. From this meeting there was a huge sense of institutions and events organisers getting most of the funding whilst the artists are underpaid or not paid at all. I also feel there is a massive gap, I could go as far as saying an intentional gap for the famous artists to get paid and rewarded with big shows whilst keeping artists in an emergent state which justifies them not getting paid. Becoming an artist was never a strive for a well paid career, however we cannot make work out of fresh air. I am now eight months pregnant and this has really changed my view on what kind of projects I want to make. Thinking more long term feels like the right way to create something new on my own terms.
