RE: [h2o-discuss] street performer protocol

[John Wilbanks <wilbanks@cyber.law.harvard.edu>]

I would almost argue that the support of marginal, avant-garde art is
the most valuable part of such a proposal.  

If an artist is sufficiently recognized by the public, there really
isn't much need for a support structure, as I see it.  The US is
terrible about supporting young performers -- unless those performers
are manufactured for mass consumption -- and instead depends on varying
combinations of luck, patronage, and word-of-mouth to find new talent.

This idea seems to strike to the very heart of what benefits open
structures and systems provide.  Business will be business, and work to
turn a profit, but open structures mean that there are established,
clear pathways which someone can tread who chooses not to join the
standard business world.  I am by no means convinced it can or will work
in the model proposed, but it's a nice example of the heart behind the
theory of openness IMO...

jtw
-----Original Message-----
From: Tuyet A. Tran [mailto:tatn2000@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, July 09, 1999 3:06 PM
To: John Wilbanks; h2o-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
Subject: Re: [h2o-discuss] street performer protocol


This concept is probably more appealing to
contemporary classical and avant-garde composers and
musicians. In  that they are the least likely to
receive attention/public knowledge/exposure therefore,
this type of venue will help nurture developing
artists who are productive and happened to be quite
good. There are such venues in Europe where composers
are assisted until they are on their ways. The
benefits are spread out to the public, artists and
future generations of artists. Finland is one of such
countries. 

Popular music is easier to gain instant attention if
the musicians happen to appeal to the musical taste du
jour. The short-lived popularity even in one city such
as New York can still generate income sufficient to
tie the band over until the next gig in another
marginal venue.  

In NYC, contemporary or new music composers would be
more inclined to "give" their works away as a means to
gain exposure outside of various sponsoring efforts by
American Composers Forum and/or American Music Center,
WestBeth Center, the Kitchen.  Even in academic
settings such as Juilliard, Columbia, Manhattan School
of Music, Mannes, NYU, the MOMA Summergarden Concert
series have particularly guidelines before new works
are introduced or performed. In this regard, the
Street Performer Protocol will most likely be
appealing to "marginal" composers and performers. 

I don't want to mislead the fact that I understand or
know the music "scene" well enough for sweeping
generalities. I am writing only from a limited
position of competing in Europe where there are
positive support for American composers and musicians
in several known venues in major cities such as Paris,
Amsterdam, Berlin, and so on.

The jurors for new works are more than well known and
established composers and musicians from venerable
institutions. Albeit, the competitions in Europe are
fierce and prestigiously difficult but, worthwhile
experiences for composers and performers to know where
they rank within a short time frame.  In part, I think
European audience is very knowledgeable about new
music as there are countless venues for a plethora of
new works in music, multimedia, art and so on. In the
U.S. the venues are a bit more limiting to major
metropolitan cities and fairly specific type of
audience therefore, sponsorship. The norm in some
cases tend to firstly lean towards a particular au
courrant type or style of works to be "accepted"
before any public audience will ever know of the
existence of an artist. 

I think the concept of escrow account is useful for
artists but, need more exploration in application for
the US.
 
Thank you.
Tuyet 

--- John Wilbanks wrote ---
>
<http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_6/kelsey/index.html>
> 
> Here is the intro - -an interesting concept to pay
> artists who give away
> their work...
> <snip>
>      We introduce the Street Performer Protocol, an
> electronic-commerce
> mechanism to facilitate the private
>      financing of public works. Using this protocol,
> people would place
> donations in escrow, to be released to
>      an author in the event that the promised work
> be put in the public
> domain. This protocol has the
>      potential to fund alternative or "marginal"
> works.

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