Gillie Kleiman about Everybody's
Where do they meet?
The group meets both physically and virtually, and the work of the group is disseminated both physically and virtually, too. The meetings are sometimes initiated between existing participants only, through email and Skype and so on. At other times the meetings are initiated by one or more existing participants, but are open to and for others, who then might participate more regularly or in an ongoing fashion or not.
Who is the leader, and does everyone share his/her vision?
There is no single leader, but there are a handful of artists who are more likely to start parts of the activity, though everyone can. There is a common ‘vision’ or something like that, but rather than aiming for an abstract artistic goal the attention is given to the concrete creation and application of certain tools.
Many of the artists share artistic practices or work together within and without the group, and might have much in common in terms of their individual aesthetic or political orientations. The work of the group allows for a range of artistic practices, though perhaps there are certain fundamental principles that should more or less be agreed upon to be able to work.
Where does their money come from?
Different initiatives require different funds. I imagine that there is no ongoing funding, but that some activities attract some funds from partners like venues or festivals in order for the presentation of work.
Do they do what they say that they do?
Yes. You can see their work on the very detailed website, through the publication of texts, and through events. You can find out when things happen by being friends with more or less anyone who could be seen as involved in a certain part of the European dance and performance scene on facebook.
How do they differ from a group therapy?
Some of the work directly deals with thinking about ways to collaborate in different ways, or to communicate with others about art and other things. Other things can be activated alone, but the tools themselves have been developed in different directions by numerous people, and couldn’t have been produced alone.
Basically, the activities take in hand questions about sharing, re-using, offering, developing, owning – ideas that cannot be addressed in the same way solo.
I also imagine that the number of people involved helps to bring visibility to the work.
The name of the emerging artists’ initiative you were talking about and the one you are part of?
I was writing about Everybody’s.
I am part of Embassy of.
