BROOKLYN, April 10th, 2014 - Arts in Bushwick is pleased to announce our second AiB Panel Discussion, Arts Labour, to take place at Radio Bushwick, 22 Wyckoff Avenue. Coordinated by Arts in Bushwick Lead Organizers Sessa Englund and Julia Sinelnikova, and moderated by writer and Hyperallergic contributor Alexis Clements, this panel discussion will focus on issues surrounding artist labor rights. 
Labor relations within creative fields have long been a tense and complicated topic; The Art Workers' Union of the 1960's is an early example of revolt and reaction. Now, as unpaid internships are a professional norm and labor unions are weakening, workers in art and creative industries struggle to secure a living wage. From the Teamster strikes during Frieze Art Fair NY in 2013, to the recent protests against labor conditions at the construction site of the new Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, this issue is being raised on a global scale. While withholding pay remains illegal in the U.S., a major government oversight has allowed for many creative jobs to be regarded as volunteer or intern work, preventing would-be professionals from gaining entry-level positions, the foundation of any career path. The result is that capable art workers are being pushed out of the field altogether, while those who can afford to maintain unpaid jobs are advancing to salaried ones. 
Panelists will examine the developments leading to the current status quo and the long-term effects of these flaws in our socioeconomic system. We will also review the pros and cons of labor unions, and discuss ways individuals and organizations can create a more democratic playing field in the arts.
Panelists will include Jillian Steinhauer (Hyperallergic), Ross Perlin (Intern Nation), Tal Beery (Occupy Museums), Maureen Connor (Occupy Museums), Ventiko (Ventiko Animamus Art Salon), and panel moderator Alexis Clements (Hyperallergic).

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