Artists Union Local 503 | A creative community organization

What's the idea behind an Artists Union?

We are a small nonprofit organization, run by artists for artists, local to Portland, Oregon. We formed around the idea that individuals who are trying to make a living from their creative efforts should have access to appropriate support and representation to help them succeed.

How is your organization structured?

We are a collective of independent, working artists/creative individuals and allies, working together on a volunteer basis to launch this startup effort as a local support and advocacy group. We have three members on our Board of Directors, several on-call volunteers, and the ongoing support of other organizations & independent, community & creatively focused businesses in our community.

As of April 2017, we are registered with the Secretary of State as a Membership Benefit Corporation, which means that we will be principally supported by annual membership dues. We are currently in the process of getting our documents ready to apply for 501(c) status, as we are eligible. Stay tuned for more updates!

What other organizations are you affiliated with?

None, we are completely independent, and plan to remain that way as much as possible. Our organization is run by artists, for artists (and other creative folks). While we welcome partnership/collaboration/cross promotion with other groups, we believe this will help us remain true to our mission, and to the unique needs of our members.

Why is an Artists Union necessary?

Over the past several decades, our culture in the United States has grown to overvalue science, technology, math, competitive sports and achievement-based learning, and has discouraged or dropped teaching a number of subjects such as liberal arts & sciences, critical thinking skills, healthy movement, arts and music. This has led to a mainstream cultural attitude that creative thought and activity is frivolous, unimportant, or even dangerous or somehow deviant- even as neuropsychologists and the health community are discovering that creative problem solving, adaptability, openness to new experiences, and creative expression are vital to health, positive outlook, lowered stress levels, and the development of improved resiliency & effective life skills.

To be a working artist in the United States, is one of the only fields which is not taken seriously as a “real” profession- despite the fact that passing an apprenticeship, or earning a college degree in the arts, takes the same amount and quality of training, effort, time and talent as any other professional field (and costs just as much, if not more, in student loans). Enduring false myths & unhelpful beliefs about working artists by employers, institutions and the general public has led to a general culture in which artists are highly admired for their creations, while at risk for being ignored or treated poorly in person, and expected to work for little or no pay- unlike lawyers, doctors, social service workers, MBA's, electricians, architects, engineers, technicians, and so on.

Despite the fact that there are plenty of artists and creative people of all walks of life who are making a living successfully with their work, and who are making positive contributions to their community and society, enduring negative or dismissive beliefs about creativity lead to negative stereotyping of, and beliefs about, artists and their work -even perpetuated by other artists themselves. These negative attitudes can hurt a working artists' career and personal potential, and often deter young folk from pursuing their dreams and talents in creative fields.

Because of false negative stereotypes and lack of understanding by the general public, those who find art to be a positive and healing force in their lives to help cope with hardship, illness or disability are further stereotyped and discriminated against for also attempting to express themselves openly and creatively. This lack of support can worsen certain problems in vulnerable individuals, such as mental illnesses, poverty, exploitation, depression, low self esteem, substance abuse, negative health effects from stress, and so on.

The reinforcement of cultural mainstream beliefs of creative arts as being “not serious” allows employers and hiring agents to get away with unethical, illegal and substandard treatment of artists when it comes to fair contracts, living wage jobs, sustainable employment, suitable work space, good quality and fair internship or volunteer programs, and legitimate and appropriately accredited training programs.

A widespread misunderstanding & ignorance of what creative artists do, and their proper role in the economy, frequently results in an overall lack of employment/internship opportunities, and a poor work fit for those jobs or contracts that are provided. This means many working artists are forced to rely solely on working for themselves, often with little resources to help support themselves or their families.

Artists Unions & similar organizations that exist in other countries provide credibility, practical resources, professional referrals, career advice, support, encouragement, advocacy, camaraderie, and a host of other benefits to their members. To our knowledge, few to no such independent organizations exist in the United States. Instead, artists are asked to apply in a highly competitive marketplace to “win” the right to get funding, contracts, support and ongoing career management, and the fiction is perpetuated that art is an “elites only” pursuit, only useful to generate advertising or collectible products for wealthy investors.

Funding for the majority of arts grants and contracts in the United States come from corporate interests, government and conservative institutions. These controlling bodies pick and choose what we see, hear and experience in terms of creative expressions, rather than letting the general public choose for themselves. This weakens our 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech/expression, and lessens the potentials for diversity, learning and growth that could be available to everyone.

The effects of increasing gentrification hit just as hard for artists as for many minority or vulnerable populations- often forcing them out of their studios and neighborhoods, after the artists themselves have made significant contributions towards increasing the livability and property values of places where they live and work. This leads not only to displacement and disruption of individuals' personal lives, but to the inability to continue consistent, meaningful creative work.

What will an Artists Union do? What benefits will it provide?

Our dues-paying members will get the benefit of belonging to a Union, similar to the benefits of other, similar organizations such as a trade association, "freelancer's union", or skilled workers labor organization. This includes the ability to vote on important issues/vote for Board elections, gain access various types of access to benefits, take advantage of greater visibility and representation for those in our field, and be provided networking, skills development, and quality work, contract or exhibition opportunities. We also hope to advocate for protections against unfair or discriminatory treatment, as well as provide mediation/negotiations in contract or labor disputes.

Some specific goals/assistance requests we are looking at include:

moral support & encouragement, advocacy at the City, County and State levels, mentorship from successful established working artists/creative professionals, resource referral, & a development of demand for "Union-first" hiring of creative talent.
Ongoing campaigns urging the City of Portland to develop an adequate social/material support base to our arts community, and reduce the “brain drain” of independent creative talent from Portland, Oregon to other cities and states.
Serve as a means of formal representation for our members that will, ideally, bring clout, greater visibility and respect.
Strive to change negative stereotypes of what a “working artist” looks like, what they do, and how they influence those around them, and increase positive visibility of creative role models.
Outreach to creative groups, other NPO/arts/labor organizations, and local area businesses to form positive relations, obtain discounts & services for our members, and promote healthy collaboration and cooperation. We hope to better achieve our collective goals & bring higher-quality creative work to the public through this solidarity.
Launch Members-only access to career development, mentorship, formal portfolio review with trained & experienced creative professionals, and sale/show/exhibition opportunities.
Educate employers on how to effectively work with creative artists, and artists on how to negotiate effectively with employers or contract providers.
Advocate for fair, ethical treatment of artists & other creative professionals, both on and off the job.
Build a fund, and an infrastructure, that will go towards providing real benefits to our members- such as access to group health care coverage, direct funding and support sources to artists, legal advice, Credit Union membership discounts, etc.
...And more to come!

Who can be a part of the Artists Union?

We don't split hairs about what type of "creativity" you express, whether you are an artist or an ally, or whether you are self taught vs. formally educated. You may participate as a dues-paying artist member, a volunteer, a supporter, a participating business- or all of the above. We may also create additional positions for paid staff, and for new seats on our Board, as we grow and develop. We appreciate as much help as we can get right now!

How much will membership cost? How will it work?

We plan to set a yearly rate that will be comparable to an affordable union dues rate at a similar organization. Some accommodations may be made to membership rates for artists with very low, or very inconsistent, income. Please visit the "Memberships" tab on the menu above for more information.

What use will membership funds go towards?

Operating funds, such as rent, office supplies, marketing materials, putting on Union-related events, funding to support member benefits, etc. We also intend to provide a fair rate of pay to any vendors/contractors or artists whom we hire to do work for us.

How will this benefit the creative arts community and our local community as a whole?

Preservation of what's greatest and most unique about our local Portland "arts & culture" scene and community- and advocacy for support and preservation of the freedom of expression as a human right, in the U.S. and worldwide.
Enhanced and direct support to working artists = productive, healthy and happy individuals, who can contribute more meaningfully to their communities, and will be more consistently able to produce high-quality work.
Support and inclusion of diverse voices/viewpoints, and the encouragement & promotion of local artists and small business creative efforts, helps in a lot of ways: By enriching the local community; building a positive atmosphere of learning, appreciating and sharing; supporting health care workers and teachers who implement the creative arts in their work; and keeping our money circulating in the local economy.
Participation in viewing, making & sharing personal creative work has been shown by researchers in the fields of medicine, psychology, and art therapy to promote stress reduction, improved self-esteem & self awareness, mitigation or reduction of the symptoms of trauma, mental illness, or relationship/interpersonal/community conflict, and promotion a sense of overall health & well-being, in addition to many other benefits.

I love this idea! How can I get involved?

Visit the "Contact Us" tab above and tell us what you'd like to contribute- volunteer hours, professional expertise, donation of goods/services/grants, networking opportunities, etc. We will follow up with you about what needs our organization currently has.

You can also link through the sharing buttons on the "Contact Us" page to Like us on social media & help spread the word about how awesome Artists' Union Local 503 is!

Visit the "Subscribe" tab above to sign up for ongoing email updates, and to get on the wait-list for annual membership registration (set to launch in 2017).

Frequently Asked Questions