CAA News Today
Watch a Panel Discussion on CAA’s Fair-Use Initiative from the 2014 Annual Conference
posted by Janet Landay, Program Manager, Fair Use Initiative — March 07, 2014
In late January CAA published Copyright, Permissions and Fair Use among Visual Artists and the Academic and Museum Visual Arts Communities. The report—available as a free download on CAA’s website—reveals a situation in which uncertainty about copyright law and the availability of fair use, particularly in the digital era, has made many practitioners risk-averse, too often abandoning or distorting projects due to real or perceived challenges in using copyrighted materials. These findings are part of an ongoing fair-use initiative that will conclude with the development of a code of best practices related to the use of copyrighted materials.
You can now go to CAA’s YouTube page to watch a discussion about the fair-use initiative that took place at the 2014 Annual Conference in Chicago. In this video, Christine Sundt, chair of CAA’s Committee on Intellectual Property, moderates a discussion with the project’s lead researchers, Patricia Aufderheide and Peter Jaszi, professors of communications and law, respectively, at American University in Washington, DC; Anne Collins Goodyear, president of the CAA Board of Directors; Jeffrey Cunard, CAA’s legal counsel and cochair of the Task Force on Fair Use; and Paul Catanese, associate chair and associate professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Arts at Columbia College Chicago and chair of the New Media Caucus, a CAA affiliated society.
Please share this video with your friends and send CAA your thoughts about the project!
CAA’s fair-use initiative is supported by a major grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. It also received generous preliminary funding from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.
Image Caption
Patricia Aufderheide displays the recently published Issues Report during the Committee on Intellectual Property’s session at the 2014 Annual Conference in Chicago.
News from the Art and Academic Worlds
posted by Christopher Howard — March 05, 2014
Each week CAA News publishes summaries of eight articles, published around the web, that CAA members may find interesting and useful in their professional and creative lives.
Art and Architecture Thesaurus Now Available as Linked Open Data
The Getty Research Institute has released the Art and Architecture Thesaurus as Linked Open Data. The data set is available for download at vocab.getty.edu under an Open Data Commons Attribution License. The Art and Architecture Thesaurus, a reference of over 250,000 terms on art and architectural history, styles, and techniques, is one of the institute’s four Getty Vocabularies, a collection of databases that serves as the premier resource for cultural-heritage terms, artists’ names, and geographical information. (Read more from the Getty Iris.)
Colleges Need Free Speech More Than Trademarks
What’s in a trademark? To many people in higher education, mention of the term—which denotes the legal protection afforded words or other devices that identify a good’s or service’s source—leads to bewildered looks. “You mean the designs on shirts sold in the bookstore?” Trademarks in higher education encompass institutional names, logos, and insignias, the iconography that fans love to see featured on all kinds of merchandise. Institutions license their marks on these products, often relying on third parties to broker deals that can produce significant royalties. This $4.6-billion industry appears to be good for colleges, which exploit the revenue channel to make up for losses elsewhere in their operations. (Read more from the Chronicle of Higher Education.)
Good Art Is Popular Because It’s Good, Right?
In July of last year, a man named Sidney Sealine went to see the Mona Lisa in Paris. The idea was to spend some time with the picture, to see for himself the special spark that made the painting so famous. But he couldn’t even get close to Leonardo’s famous work. (Read more from National Public Radio.)
Women at the Top
Their ages span four generations, and their careers follow no linear path. They have enough letters behind their names to form a small university. They’ve worked in Switzerland, Qatar, and too many small towns to count, hailing from regions as diverse as the southern hemisphere and the segregated South. The thirteen women who direct some of the region’s prominent museums are as different as the institutions they lead. But nine of them have at least one similarity: they succeeded men. (Read more from the Washington Post.)
Frieze Sits Down with New York Labor Unions
Representatives from Frieze New York met with local union leaders for the first time to discuss the organization’s labor practices. The fair, which is set to return to Randall’s Island in May, has been criticized by artists and activist groups for employing nonunion workers to build its sprawling tent and transport art. (Read more from the Art Newspaper.)
The Adjunct Penalty
Much discussion exists about how to escape the adjunct’s life of indentured servitude for tenure-track positions. After all, positions in the coveted ivory tower will always outrank a life of little pay and heavy, lower-level teaching loads. Despite the many pitfalls of adjunct life, many adjuncts choose to forgo the ivory tower. In doing so, they enter a career with a penalty that is both tangible and psychological. (Read more from the Adjunct Blog.)
Speculating on Trophy Art
Works by contemporary artists born after 1945 generated $17.2 billion in worldwide auction sales last year, a 39 percent increase from 2012, according to figures just released by the French database Artprice. Last November, a triptych by Francis Bacon sold for $142.4 million, a record for any work of art at a public sale. And a handy new website, www.sellyoulater.com, now advises speculators on which hot young artists to buy, sell, or “liquidate.” (Read more from the New York Times.)
The Art World’s “Wild West”
A fake Marc Chagall painting, owned by a businessman from Leeds who had bought it for $167,309 in 1992, was ordered to be burned last month, and an Istanbul art gallery closed down its Joan Miró exhibition in 2013 after directors of the Spanish Surrealist painter’s estate said some of the works were forgeries. The uncovering of fakes by committees comprising descendants of the artist is increasingly common and has prompted one of Britain’s foremost art historians to condemn the methods used by scholars to authenticate works as a “professional disgrace.” (Read more from the Tapei Times.)
President Reduces Support for NEA in 2015 Budget
posted by CAA — March 05, 2014
Americans for the Arts sent the following email on March 4, 2014.
President Reduces Support for NEA in 2015 Budget
Today, the Obama Administration released its FY 2015 budget request to Congress, which includes funding for the nation’s cultural agencies and programs, such as the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Office of Museum Services, and the Department of Education’s Arts In Education program.
As Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a statement:
The Administration’s FY 2015 request of level funding at $146 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is unfortunately insufficient, considering $154 million has been proposed by the Administration each of the two previous years. Senate appropriators were ready to match this funding each of these years. Investment in the arts is an investment in our nation’s culture, education, and economy. Although it is very welcoming to see the Administration continue support for Our Town and the NEA/Walter Reed Healing Arts Partnership programs, now is the time to boost investment, not reduce it. To reduce support provides both an inconsistent and confusing message for the creative economy in America. This is even more important as the President has recently nominated a new chair to lead the NEA. Arts advocates from across the country will join together on Capitol Hill for Arts Advocacy Day on March 25th to lobby Congress to increase NEA funding to $155 million.
This chart illustrates the inconsistent nature of the Obama Administration’s funding requests for the NEA:
The following is a comparison of the Administration’s FY 2015 budget request and FY 2014 enacted levels:
| Key Federally Funded Arts Program |
FY 2014 Enacted Appropriations (in millions) |
FY 2015 President’s Budget Request (in millions) |
| National Endowment for the Arts |
$146 |
$146 |
| National Endowment for the Humanities |
$146 |
$146 |
| U.S. Dept. of Education’s Arts In Education Program |
$25 |
$0* |
| Office of Museum Services |
$30 |
$31 |
| Corporation for Public Broadcasting (advanced) |
$445 |
$445 |
| U.S. Dept. of State’s Educational & Cultural Exchange |
$560 |
$578 |
*Similar to previous years, the Administration proposes to consolidate the Department of Education’s Arts In Education program.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The President’s request is traditionally just the first step in the legislative budgeting process. Next, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate offer their proposals that will reflect their own particular priorities. Appropriations subcommittee work is already underway with several upcoming hearings scheduled.
We ask that advocates remain vigilant in the months ahead as Congress works to pass spending bills. Last year, the House Appropriations Interior subcommittee proposed cutting NEA funding nearly in half! Thanks to your messages to Congress, the nation’s signature cultural agency was spared such drastic cuts after an outpouring of support that helped enable Senate appropriators to drive the final result. We hope to count on your advocacy again this year.
Our kickoff advocacy effort will launch at our National Arts Advocacy Day conference on March 24–25. Join us in Washington, DC for the only national event that brings together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country. We encourage you to register for this national arts action summit and join us on Capitol Hill as the arts community brings a united message to Congress to increase funding for the NEA to $155 million! The deadline for advance registration is approaching quickly on Monday, March 10, 2014.
Help us continue this important work by also becoming an official member of the Arts Action Fund. If you are not already a member, play your part by joining the Arts Action Fund today—it’s free and easy to join.
Take the 2014 Annual Conference Survey
posted by Nia Page — March 04, 2014
In an effort to improve our services, we encourage you to complete the following survey about your experiences at the 102nd Annual Conference in Chicago last month. This survey should take only a few minutes to complete. We appreciate your feedback and your support and hope to see you at the 103rd Annual Conference in New York, to be held February 11–14, 2015.
Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HRGVZG8
Please complete the survey by Friday, March 14, 2014. Thank you.
Thanks to 2014 Career Services Mentors and Leaders
posted by Emmanuel Lemakis — March 04, 2014
CAA wishes to thank the artists, scholars, curators, critics, educators, and other professionals in the visual arts who generously served as Career Services mentors—for the Artists’ Portfolio Review, Career Development Mentoring, the Mock Interview Sessions, and the Professional Development Roundtable Discussions—during the 2014 Annual Conference in Chicago. The organization also appreciates the work of the leaders of the Professional-Development Workshops and the speakers at Orientation.
Orientation
Susan Altman, Middlesex County College; Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; and David M. Sokol, University of Illinois, Chicago (emeritus).
Artists’ Portfolio Review
Ivan Albreht, University of Miami; Elissa Armstrong, Virginia Commonwealth University; Marie Bukowski, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Susan Canning, College of New Rochelle; Brian Curtis, University of Miami; Sandra Dupret, Fleming College; Peter Kaniaris, Anderson University; Jason Lahr, University of Notre Dame; Suzanne F. W. Lemakis, Center for Culture: Department of Fine Art, Citibank; Craig Lloyd, College of Mt. St. Joseph; Sarah Richardson, Center for Culture: Department of Fine Art, Citibank; Greg Shelnutt, Clemson University; Steve Teczar, Maryville University of St. Louis; and David Voros, University of South Carolina.
Career Development Mentoring
Susan Altman, Middlesex County College; Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Brian Bishop, Framingham State University; Leda Cempellin, South Dakota State University; Kevin Concannon, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Michelle Erhardt, Christopher Newport University; Reni Gower, Virginia Commonwealth University; Jim Hopfensperger, Western Michigan University; Dennis Ichiyama, Purdue University; Mitch Kern, Alberta College of Art and Design; Elisabeth Leach; Craig Lloyd, College of Mount St. Joseph; Patrick Luber, University of North Dakota; Mary McInnes, Alfred University; Heather McPherson, University of Alabama, Birmingham; Jo-Ann Morgan, Western Illinois University; Niki Nolin, Columbia College Chicago; Mark O’Grady, Pratt Institute; Christopher Olszewski, Savannah College of Art and Design; Morgan Paine, Florida Gulf Coast University; Doralynn Pines, Metropolitan Museum of Art (retired); David Raizman, Drexel University; Jack Risley, University of Texas at Austin; Ann M. Roberts, Lake Forest College; Dinah Ryan, the Principia; Paul Ryan, Mary Baldwin College; Greg Shelnutt, Clemson University; Gerald Silk, Tyler School of Art, Temple University; Katherine Sullivan, Hope College; Larry Thompson, Samford University; Ann Tsubota, Raritan Valley Community College; and Charles Wright, Western Illinois University.
Professional-Development Roundtable Discussions
Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Nicola Courtright, Amherst College; Brian Curtis, University of Miami; Ira Goldberg, Art Students League of New York; Joseph Henry, TIAA-CREF; Peter Kaniaris, Anderson University; Suzanne F. W. Lemakis, Center for Culture: Department of Fine Art, Citibank; Leo Morrissey, Georgian Court University; and Norie Sato, Sato Service.
Mock Interview Sessions
Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University; Maria Ann Conelli, Brooklyn College, City University of New York; Carole Garmon, University of Mary Washington; Joe Girandola, University of Cincinnati; Amy Hamlin, St. Catherine University; Kim Hartswick, Brooklyn College, City University of New York; Dennis Ichiyama, Purdue University Andrea Kirsh, Rutgers University; Cory Knoedler, University of South Dakota; David LaPalombara, Ohio State University; David Lindsay, Texas Tech University; Brittany Lockard, Wichita State University; Carolyn Martin; Savannah College of Art and Design; Sally Packard, Texas Christian University; Sandra J. Reed, Savannah College of Art and Design; Kristin Ringelberg, Elon University; David Yager, University of California, Santa Cruz; and Megan Koza Young, Dishman Art Museum, Lamar University.
Brown Bag Sessions
Leda Campellin, South Dakota State University; Maria Ann Conelli, Brooklyn College, City University of New York; Jacquelyn Coutré; Amanda Hellman, Emory University; Lauren Kilroy, Brooklyn College, City University of New York; David Lindsay, Texas Tech University; Laurel Peterson, Yale University; and Megan Koza Young, Dishman Art Museum, Lamar University.
Professional-Development Workshops
Susan Altman, Middlesex County College; Michael Aurbach, Vanderbilt University; Steven Bleicher, Coastal Carolina University; Mika Cho, California State University, Los Angeles; Angela Faris-Belt, independent artist; Elaine Grogan Luttrull, Minerva Financial Arts; Gigi Rosenberg; David M. Sokol, University of Illinois, Chicago (emeritus); Jane Alden Stevens, University of Cincinnati; Suzanne E. Szucs, independent artist; and Blaise Tobia, Drexel University.
“Sexing Sculpture” Event at SculptureCenter
posted by Joe Hannan — March 03, 2014
SculptureCenter in Long Island City, New York, will present “SC Conversations: Sexing Sculpture” in anticipation of the next issue of Art Journal, to be released in mid-March. For that issue, Jillian Hernandez and Susan Richmond have organized the forum “Sexing Sculpture.” In addition to an essay on Minimalism and gender variance by Gordon Hall, the forum features portfolios by the artists Rachel Lachowicz and Lily Cox-Richard, as well as texts by Rachel Middleman on Hannah Wilke, Nicholas Hartigan and Joan Kee on Lily Cox-Richard, and Jennifer Doyle and David Getsy on queer formalism.
The event will take place on Friday, March 7, 2014, from 11:00 AM to 12 NOON; admission is free.
