The Power of ( Un)alienation through cooperation

1. The Power of (Un)alienation through cooperation John Michael Byrd November 4, 2010

2. Cooperation and Social Change • A cooperative (also co-operative; often referred to as a co-op) is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. • Cooperatives are defined by the International Co-operative Alliance's Statement on the Co-operative Identity as autonomous associations of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises. • A cooperative may also be defined as a business owned and controlled equally by the people who use its services or by the people who work there.

3. Baton Rouge Gallery- center for contemporary art

4. The Beginnings and the Unit 8 In 1965, 6 alienated men/artists • Bob Wiggs • Edward Pramuk • Jim Jimsomme • Paul Dufour • John Goodheart • James Burke • Fred Packard • Russell Guirl

5. The idea • The Gallery was born in 1965 "to provide a forum for the professional visual arts." The first physical location of the Gallery was in what was then known as the King Hotel, next to the old Hart Theater on Convention Street in downtown Baton Rouge Louisiana. • jointly-owned and democratically-controlled by its members • A lofty vision with idealistic goals. What happened?

6. It Flopped! • In fighting, ego, lack of agreement over direction, lack of monetary investment by members all played a part in drowning the initial space. • What Now? • A new incarnation?

7. Baton Rouge Gallery was born • Baton Rouge Gallery was resurrected out of the failed "Unit 8” private art gallery project. After the demise of Unit 8, these eight artists, including James Burke Paul A. Dufour, Edgar Dayries, Caroline Durieux John Goodhart, Jim Jeansonne, Janice Sachse, and Bob Wiggs assembled at the former location of the Baton Rouge Clinic on 119th Street between North Boulevard and Convention Street. The outcome of the meeting was an idea for a not-for-profit contemporary art gallery. The group of artists modeled their idea after the New Orleans Gallery, a cooperative gallery for professional artists. At one time 13 such organizations existed in the United States, but Baton Rouge Gallery is the only one which has survived and flourished. Baton Rouge Gallery was thus conceived

8. More Changes • After the second incarnation in 1966 these now involved artist helped to incorporate the newly deemed Baton Rouge Gallery into a non for profit 501 (c) space. • “The original Board of Professional Artists shall consist of the following persons: James R. Burke, Edgar J. Dsyries, Paul C. Dufour, Caroline Durieux, John Goodheart, Russell Guirl, Timothy Carr Hewes, Jim Jeansonne, Edward R. Pramuk, Shirley C. Resnikoff, Janice R. Sachse, and Don Thornton.”

9. What does this mean? • In this these artist set in motion a new governing body- a board of directors which in turn have voting right to the initial group of artist members

10. How Artist Membership works • Screening Committee • The purpose of the Screening Committee is to maintain standards among the Artist Membership. This committee does not have the authority to change policy. It will be composed of ten Artist Members elected annually. Two of the ten members will be carried over from the previous year and will act as co-chairpersons. The committee will endeavor to have at least one representative in each of the following categories: • Sculpture, metal and ceramics • Two-, and three-dimensional glass • Painting, drawing and printmaking • Film and photography • Fiber, mixed media, assemblage, installations or other

11. Packing and Unpacking • From 1966-1984 BRG moved a documented 6 times! • During this interim period at Kornmeyers, a fundraising campaign was initiated and the City Park Pavilion was secured as the future site, finally giving the Gallery a permanent home. The fundraising initiative raised $90,000 to aid in the renovations and improvements to the historic Pavilion.

12. The Catch • However in 1984, when the organization moved into its current location, and into a mutually beneficial agreement with the Parks Commission (BREC) - the Gallery got a home and a certain level of organizational support, and BREC was able to revive a historic landmark with minimal funding. An auction then was held in the newly renovated Pavilion to the Gallery's increase operational funds. Items available included artwork donated by Gallery members and a pedigreed Arabian Gelding donated by Mr. and Mrs. Ron Thevenot.

13. What does this mean? • Now there are three governing bodies involved • The Artists • The Artists/board members • BREC • Plus plus plus staff members

14. What does this cooperative agreement mean? • To put it in a nutshell in order for BREC to keep up the building and funding to BRG the Gallery must do good for the community. I.e. create programs that are diverse and touch on many different types of people

15. Programs • Programs either expanded upon or created in response to need deemed by many parties • Movies & Music on the Lawn (begun in the late 80s) • First Wednesday Opening Receptions (begun in the early 2000s) • Sundays@4 (begun in early 1990s) • Flatscape Video Art Series (begun in 2004) • Venus Envy • CFA High School show • Surreal Salon • ARTiculate Artist Tours

16. Lagniappe • weddings • Community meetings • Community art projects • Community classes ranging from ages 5-Seniors

17. Unforeseen Outcomes • Positive • Generating dialog within the arts. • Generating community involvement • Generating paychecks to at least three staffers • Helping artists of all types

18. Unforeseen Outcomes • Negative • Too many cooks in the kitchen • No one to take responsibility • Censorship • In fighting • Hurt feelings/fractured egos • Divide between BREC & BRG • Bad art • Artist kicked out (expand on this to finish)

19. Today, Baton Rouge Gallery is one of the few non-profit, self-governed, professional art galleries still operating in the United States. According to the original mission statement, which has remained the general Gallery directive, Baton Rouge Gallery provides "a forum for the arts, especially for professional visual artists to exhibit their art. The Gallery also places emphasis on education and enrichment, including multi-disciplinary arts programs.”