SEEN in the arts just launched...

[ArabellaSaurus]

And sorely needed.

https://www.seeninarts.co.uk/about

'We welcome anyone in the arts who shares our aims and objectives, and would like support and/or can share their skills and experience to support our colleagues across the Sector. Go to our memberships page to complete a form

All details will be kept confidential and only shared within the membership of the SEEN in The Arts steering group. It's important that any potential members are properly vetted to ensure the safety and dignity of everyone involved.'

Bumping.

That's going to be a difficult one to join. The Arts are very captured, and many people who work in the sector are freelance/contractors. If you're 'outed', then people will just stop hiring you, and if you're not an employee, there's no recourse to grievance/tribunal etc.

Yep. The Arts is captured from top (gov funded organisations), through the media, and down to those supported by grants, and freelancers with precarious incomes.

A challenge!

What should work in the favour of SEEN is the assumed support of freedom of belief, speech, and expression, but the arts have been curiously reticent.

The industry/sector as a whole has suffered hugely in recent years because if lockdown and the economic climate, and working in the arts is increasingly confined to the privileged. So there's also that.

What I find very baffling is how while the arts' fondness for pomo subversion may have meant that trans activism seemed edgy and exciting twenty years ago, it's become steadily more absurd and increasingly naff, yet we still see respected artists like Tilda Swinton whanging on about 'protecting the dolls'. Clueless and daft on various levels.

Do we know who is on the Steering Group?

I don't know who is involved.

Has anyone applied to join and heard back, at all?

I got in touch, using an alias and alternate email address (because I am a coward, holding my hands up). Not heard anything back.

Maybe check spam? And bear in mind it's probably a very small number of people, with potentially a lot of other things on their plates! But if you've not heard back then maybe worth emailing again to check .

I applied using their form about 10 days ago, kept my application quite thin as I genuinely dont know who is on the steering committee. Nothing in spam. I'll leave it a little longer before chasing. They may not want me!!

I'd expect its more likely to do with time/resourcing pressures.

You do need to know who's involved in steering it, and for them to be recognised, otherwise there's the potential for a group like this to be set up as a honeypot for determining who's a TERF.

Yes. As with any of these groups, vetting needs to go both ways.

I joined seen in HR (but never got any emails or anything from them). Also tried to join seen in charity but I dont think they are do memberships, they just do a few posts. Does anyone know if there's a seen in academia / university?

Not that I know of, weegielass. Not yet!

But then if the organisers are recognised, they lose their jobs, and round and round we go...

That's partly why I was limited in the information I shared. I've been open about my GC views for a long time and that doesn't need to change. I am career-pivoting into the Culture and Museum sector so wanted to join as the sector is horribly captured. Seriously if I have to listen to one more bloody cliche lecture about xy and z through a queer or gender lens I will scream. I'm ok because I dont NEED paid work in the sector (would like it yes!) So am able to be a firm outspoken supporter.

That would be good, but for students too? My uni doesn't seem to offer anything for that but I am not really campus based.

PS congrats on your new job! Hope it goes well.

There is this:

https://www.afaf.org.uk/afaf-membership/

I've had an update from someone involved in SEEN Art steering group - I won't share the username, but can assure it's a poster I recognise from many years standing on here.

They want to assure everyone that the group is genuine, and the process to join is on track.

'All are volunteers and juggling a wide range of other commitments, so please be patient - we are very grateful for everyone’s support and look forward to meeting those of you who have applied very soon. Please do visit the website for more information.'

Lovely. Thank you for the update.

Self employed people who have been personally contracted to do the work can go through Employment Tribunals for discrimination...