D.3.1 Philosophy

In the current way capitalism is practiced, we are accustomed to think and act in ways that lead to maximizing profit, aiming for bigger outputs while keeping our expenses as low as possible. In the not-for-profit context, this can translate into seeking more funding, partnerships, establishing new activities and programmes, calculating success through external indicators such as audience numbers, etc..

This quest is often at the cost of our body, our social and learning time, and our spirit. Additionally, many of the member organisations in Arts Collaboratory fulfill and/or feel compelled to fulfill multiple roles that in other realities are taken on by governments, educational institutions, etc. Therefore, the pressure on each organisation is out of balance with its size, and many are under threat of burnout.

Instead of complying with this trend, Arts Collaboratory proposes degrowth (see vocabulary) as a sustainable and viable alternative. A principle that reflects how AC envisions budget and planning.

In order to practice un-learning and to provide a healthier picture of the ‘cost’ of each activity, we are building the habit of measuring the amount of time spent on these activities, alongside the financial costs. Activities are considered in relation to labour (visible and invisible) and time, and what it does to our life.

Arts Collaboratory is not an externality to the members that compose it, rather it functions as an eco-system, interconnected in terms of reflection, activities, and structure.

The relevance of each organisation to its local environment, as well as the value the translocal collaboration brings to that reality is reflected in the way the budget is conceived and managed: The funds of AC are collectively owned, belonging to the whole eco-system and not to one organisation in particular.