For over two years, Intersection for the Arts, has been in search of a building- a permanent home. Although I vowed not to talk much about Intersection in my blog, primarily because this isn't an official organization blog, I find it hard to resist this time, specially since all our talks about finding a permanent home led me to think of a pretty important question; a question I was sure I had the answer to: What is an arts organization? is it the space? is it the director? is it the aesthetics? is it the audience or community it serves? Is it all of the above? What is it? what makes an arts organization an arts organization?
Since my moto is "if you don't know it Goggle it," I took on to my favorite search engine for an answer.
Wikipedia says: "A not-for-profit arts organization is usually in the form of a not-for-profit corporation, association or foundation. Such organizations are formed fir the purpose of developing and promoting the work of artists in various visual and performing art forms such as film. sculpture, dance, painting, multimedia, poetry and performance art"
Although I think this definition pretty much hits the nail in the head, I am surprised that it makes no mention of space, place or location. Fair enough I guess, but I then I wonder, why are we so married to the idea of a space? and why do we call theater companies, "companies" instead of organizations, by this definition they should be, right? And what about art groups that are not incorporated, for-profit or fiscal sponsored, are they all of the sudden not arts organizations because they lack a 501(c)3 or the drive to be for profit?
Is the definition then constricting, and does it prevent us from thinking about other things as such? or are those things completely different entirely and we then are forced to find other definitions for them, better definitions. Why do we need to define things? and are we limiting ourselves by having definitions? (ugh, insert much larger philosophical debate here)
I have no answers here. I guess I was pretty certain that I knew what an arts organization is...was...can be, but maybe it is much like all things in life, an ever-changing concept, one that like water fits in the mold in which we put it.
What is an arts organization? Who needs to know?
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