Manifesting: old challenges, new challenges.
On this date (April 14th) in 1983, a letter to the editor was printed in The Providence Eagle, an alt-weekly newspaper in the city. Its opening read: "It is time we artists stop harboring false hopes and come to terms with the present deteriorating situation in the arts."
Did I say "a letter to the editor"? I apologize, it was a self-stated manifesto and challenge (indeed, the word "challenge" or "challenged" appears 11 times in the body of the text). It took on a myriad of issues that the authors saw as afflicting art and artists: the distribution of funding, the awarding of prizes and recognition, the influence of the media, networks of art clubs, galleries, schools, and much more. This manifesto was signed by three people: Steven Emma, Martha Dempster, and Umberto Crenca.
Read the transcribed manifesto in full here!
If you subscribe to this newsletter, you're probably familiar with one of those names. Almost 2 and a half years later, Umberto Crenca would go on to open AS220 on the third floor above the Providence Performing Arts Center at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, leading and building the organization for 30 years, giving opportunities to thousands of artists. He also just wrapped up a show of his own work, along with 6 other artists, at Providence's new Angell Street Galleries.
I'm happy to report that Steven and Martha, who are married to each other, are alive and well and living in Providence. I had the chance to meet and visit them in February at their home where we talked and looked at some cool pre-AS220 historical artifacts.
These three were the last ones standing from a slightly larger group of artists who began meeting, talking, and writing this document after Channing Gray of The Providence Journal gave a critical panning to a show of Bert's that featured work full of political and social commentary. They believed enough in the ideas contained within to sign their names to it.
To celebrate AS220's 40th, we’ll be sharing AS220 history from folks like Umberto, Steven, Martha, and lots of others in the coming weeks and months. This is not all about nostalgia, though. Our challenge to you right now is to read this manifesto from 1983 and then think about how far we have or haven't come. Is there a "prevailing order" with "the power to exercise control over the support systems necessary for artistic survival and growth"? Are we living through political and economic repression? Is art currently "allowed to flourish unhampered"?
While you ponder that, consider that the Trump administration and DOGE recently canceled NEH funding to state-based grantmaking agencies like the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, which will only trickle down further and deprive organizations and individuals working in our local arts and culture sectors close to home. Feel like you need to “do something”? Click here to contact your elected officials - let them know that you oppose these cuts and that this funding must be restored. It might not be a manifesto, but it's something you can feel good signing your name to.