Sustainability

Sustainability is structural, emotional, financial, and relational. It addresses the long-term viability of projects, acknowledging the financial challenges of relying on free labour while emphasising the importance of community building. It also foregrounds  the effort of sustaining artistic practices minimizing precarity and avoiding burn-out, especially by those who are in care-giving /parenting positions.This principle calls for resource-sharing, collaboration, decentralised decision-making and *growth, and more intentional practices to ensure that projects can thrive without depleting the community or its resources. By moving away from unsustainable financial and organisational models, we can create a lasting and supportive ecosystem.

Suggested Applications

  • Align project pace and scale with actual capacity by mapping available hours, energy, and resources at the outset and adjusting ambitions accordingly.
  • Map all visible and invisible tasks and share them equitably.
  • Prioritise resource-sharing by pooling materials, equipment, and space with other organisations or local groups to reduce costs and environmental impact.
  • Practice decentralised models by rotating facilitation roles, setting up shared decision-making assemblies, and using simple tools (like shared online boards) for transparent planning.
  • Use skill-sharing sessions where members teach one another practical or administrative skills, to diversify internal capacity and strengthen interdependence.
  • Adapt residencies, commissions, and project timelines to allow for phased participation or child-inclusive work spaces.
  • Offer micro-grants or childcare bursaries that artist-parents can use flexibly, choosing the form of support most relevant to their situation.
  • Build shared childcare solutions into long-term projects or studio models, distributing cost and responsibility collectively.