We Are Artists

I. Introduction
One cannot get through a single day without experiencing art and the products of creative Endeavour. Creativity is ubiquitous to our environment; in some instances it even provides mental and spiritual sustenance. Creativity at the hand of the artist results in artistic creations and innovations which have become an essential part of our world—exemplifying the important role which artists maintain in all facets of society and culture.

II. Who We Are
Who are we? We are the thinkers, creators, and innovators of society: the child in the classroom, the athlete on the field, the scientist in the lab, the songwriter in the coffee shop—the daydreamer in the park. We celebrate humanity, promote creativity and innovation, and are social commentators on culture. We are not an exclusive club; in fact, we are a loosely coupled inclusive community bound together by a spirit of creativity and self-expression. We hold no boundaries and do not discriminate or distinguish based on race, color or creed. As a group, we reflect a common ethos relating to diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism. We are ambassadors of our evolving culture giving depth and meaning to an understanding of the human condition.

Amidst all the quarreling and debating over who should get paid for a product, whether certain technologies are good or bad, and how legislation can address the issues at hand, we have lost sight of who or what is actually at the center of this debate—the creative mind. The creative mind has many options. One creative pathway for one to pursue leads to economic and other concrete and tangible rewards and incentives. In this instance, creative output is recognized more as a product available to consumers—as a hit record, a successful play, a commercial trademark, a successful business model or technology. Creativity, in this case, has an economic valence. The other pathway is typically described as one of struggle, poverty, and lack of recognition—as the starving artist playing guitar on the subway platform in Penn Station, the skilled artist doing charcoal portraits at amusement parks, the actor/part-time waiter struggling to make ends meet. This is the paradox in terms of society's valuing certain areas or instances of creative thinking and expression.

Internet companies with business models based on disseminating content (products) and media conglomerates whose models may be based on such content are all the result of hardworking individuals contributing and expending some form of creative effort. Marketing experts, programmers, and executives all use creative means to advance themselves. However, they do this within a different forum and venue compared to the traditional artist. Furthermore, the former are firmly grounded in an infrastructure which rewards them for their contributions and efforts. This is the venue they selected—the path they chose. Much like the mailroom clerk who dreams of an office on the top floor, the street musician may dream of the comforts of a warm and dry stage from which to broadcast her creative efforts; the only difference here is the path taken.

This debate is about providing an environment in which anyone who is determined to invent, create, and contribute can do so without fear that his/her expended efforts are first of all recognized and secondly, not exploited. Providing such assurance is, in essence, providing a foundation from which hopes and dreams can be achieved.

The creative mind is everywhere. It is the Artist Coalition’s goal that the creative mind be protected and rewarded for whatever path it chooses to take in achieving its ambitions and dreams. It is not about setting out on a singular and predetermined path to one day own a Bentley or to purchase the mansion on the hill. It is about being able to achieve a purposeful and self-fulfilling path that provides the kind of intrinsic rewards—rewards that result in recognizing that one is making a difference as a voice of one's culture, as well as extrinsic compensation--society’s official endorsement of value.

III. Our Place
It was in recognition of the creativity of the artist that the founding fathers of this nation deliberately made the promotion and protection of useful arts a constitutional subject matter.
We as artists have been part of the growth and strength of our communities and nation. Art in various forms: music, visuals, crafts, cinema, theatre, etc. have played irrefutable roles in the identity, cohesion, and unity of society. They form a common purpose of cultural expression in times of war, peril, as well as prosperity.

Artists have kept our cultures alive. Today the United States clearly sets the pace in socio-cultural transactions and cultural revivalism. The interpretation of culture through various agencies of artists has had a global effect. In Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the United States, culture and arts are vital social and economic developmental forces. The movie, music, fashion, and technology industries are influenced by artistic innovativeness, values, and culture.

The music and movie you watch and listen to, that uplifts you when you are down are products and works of artists. Music and artistic works have been documented as having medicinal and therapeutic effects. Society is made whole when it listens to our music. Stress and worries are relieved when you go to a cinema or watch a movie. The artist joins society in solidarity in the making it a worthy and prosperous place. Nation’s histories are illuminated by artists in various media. Paintings, photographs, and sculptures of political and economic leaders adorn our streets and our museums. We connect to our history through creative artists, thus we also educate society. The symbolic representations of various nations are works of artists. Neighborhood landscapes speak of a collective community. Artists interpret who we are to help us achieve goals we set for ourselves as nations. Artists are partners in the building of nations, communities, and families.

In parody and satire we deliver social, political and philosophical messages as agents of development. We rely on society to carry on our roles as agents of beauty, unity, and development. Technology has captured our works in various forms, and with speed and ease has brought our work to the doorsteps of society, but our works are still ours. The creativity that we contribute to the commonwealth of humanity is still our drive. The unity and bonding that we instill in families and community is still our drive. The partnership that we consummate with society to make this world better than we met it is our goal.

IV. Art and Technology
Artists have been among the first to adopt and embrace new technologies. We need only look to the invention of the camera in the 19th century, which soon led to the creation of photography as an art form. In fact, it was a young photographer in search of a way to use photography in his travels at a time of heavy plates and equipment. Through long hours of effort and innovation, the film camera was born. Within a few years, that young artist, George Eastman, had not only revolutionized the art of photography, but also built one of the most successful companies in the field—Eastman Kodak.

This ingenuity continues today with ventures such as the Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) at the University of Washington, where artists push the boundaries of art and science to expand our world. MIT’s Media Lab combines creative vision and innovative technology to generate new ideas and entrepreneurial ventures. And companies like Apple Computer owe much of their livelihood to writers and graphic designers who use computers and software as their preferred instrument of creation.

Artists—and musicians in particular—have been quick to understand and use the power of the internet and Web 2.0 collaborative technologies. From label-free music distribution on community websites like MySpace and YouTube to interactive audio services like Pandora, artists have led the way. Old distribution models are eroding and new ones are rapidly rising. Radiohead, for example, left their record label and released their latest album “In Rainbows” online, allowing customers to choose their own price.

With the advent of digital video cameras and the ability to mix films by computer, we have begun producing independent films without the cost and demands on large studios. With technologies like YouTube, our ability to share these creations has grown exponentially. We embrace this new channel, which removes the middle-man and gives us direct access to our audiences.

We support new technologies that enable us to create, and ask only that some thought be given to new royalty and revenue models. Here, again, technology may provide ideas and solutions, such as the micro-payment model used on the online virtual community, Second Life. We’re confident that such solutions will be found; in the meantime, we will continue to use new and innovative technologies. This is what we do.

V. What We Want
We are in the thick of an era of ardent change. Time is marked by major advances in art, technology, politics, science and culture. We actually want more people to see our creative works. Our lives and livelihood depends upon the art works which we create. Without the arts, life becomes meaningless. Every creative work is always a new challenge ahead of us. By creating a new piece of work, we express our own thoughts and we value them. Therefore, we also want others to recognize who we are and respect the works we created. What we want to do is to perfect ourselves to the point that our work is recognized and valued.

We also want some protection to exercise legal control over the use of our creative work and to ensure that we receive proper compensation when that work is published or performed. We believe that artists don't have to starve to be geniuses. We want our works to be under certain control in the digital age, where copying is a one-click proposition. Without such protection in place, the ability of artists and publishers to continue to produce such works and the ability of the general public to enjoy the fruits of that creativity would both be jeopardized.

In more tangible terms, we have several suggestions. First, a technology like YouTube, despite best efforts in filtering and prompt responses to take down notices, will always have a certain level of infringement. As such, we ask that Google give back to artists by returning a small percentage of the profits to artists groups and organizations. Other countries, such as Japan, have developed royalty schedules for digital video and internet television, covering the performers, producers, and writers. As we have recently learned from the writers’ strike, we need to remember all the creators and effort that go into each video.

YouTube presents a unique opportunity for artists to bypass the middlemen, once necessary to market and distribute out works. However, as individuals, we don’t have the negotiating power to enter into agreements with Google to carry our licensed works on YouTube. To that end, we ask that Google explore micro-payment models, where users make small payments to access certain works. These payments would go to the artists, making the “direct to YouTube” model not only viable as a promotional tool, but as a sustainable business model for artists.

VI. Conclusion

We are artists. Each artist makes a lengthy journey in finding a style and developing methods and works—often struggling to create. A serious artist needs to be respected by serious and effective safeguards. Individual creativity should be rewarded by protection that respects ownership.

We help to create cultural artifacts which permit spirits to soar and express themselves, making the world a better place. Remember to respect our work whether you are a beholder of the arts, an exhibitor, or a dealer with commercial intent. Please value, reward and protect the work of those who choose to express themselves in a creative fashion.