by Susan Avecedo

The Texas Commission on the Arts formed a Media Arts Task Force made up of arts organization leaders, television and radio producers, media educators and individual artists to discuss how best to nurture the media arts, a young and emerging field with it's own special needs and challenges.

What are the media arts?

Electronic Media: video, computer arts and radio.

Film, Mixed Media Arts: a collaborative effort between different disciplines that includes electronic media and/or film.

What is unique about the media arts?
Because of the nature of the medium, the media arts have a unique set of attributes that don't affect other arts. It often requires collaboration between several artists The artist is usually not in control of the equipment.

It requires tremendous organization and coordination of both resources and people. It generally takes an extended time to finish a project. It requires a lot of specialized equipment. It often requires a special venue that may only be able to show the work for a very limited amount of time. However, more and more artists are drawn to the media arts as the most relevant form of art for the 21st century. As a newer, still-developing medium, it needs more funding and publicity to nurture it through it's early stages.

A filmmaker typically might spend two years working with a crew of other artists on a project that may only be viewed by a very small number of people.

It is a developing art and not established like museums, dance theatre, ect., and does need extra money and publicity.

What are the Challenges?
How to teach Texas children to understand, critique, and produce media art in a rapidly changing world where they are constantly bombarded with new sources of information. How to bring artists, organizational leaders, and other media arts members together so they can learn from one another. How to reach all areas of Texas when most of the art and the artists are concentrated in major cities. How to change the perception of media arts as strictly a commerce-based craft rather than an art form as valid and vibrant as any other. How to fund artists and organizations when media arts expertise is under-represented on local arts councils.

What are the Recommendations?
Media Literacy & Education Promote media literacy to children through schools and youth organizations. Develop teaching programs including teachers and local artists. Provide more equipment by working with access TV, community colleges and schools. Develop other programs such as festivals and state competitions.

Networking & Professional Development
There is no statewide meeting for the media arts. Media artists, educators, and administrators have few opportunities to meet and discuss their field. This particularly hurts media artists who aren't located in major metropolitan areas, because they don't have the chance to meet other artists or to find the means to create and display their work.

There should be a statewide media arts conference held annually, that includes information about where to show work, education about equipment, mentoring, and showcasing work Encourage media arts organizations to take better advantage of TCA's Texas Apprenticeship Program.

Touring & Programming
TCA has seen a decline in touring and programs in the last few years. This is despite the fact that lower-priced technology has made it easier to create and distribute high-quality programming. We need to compile a database of sites that present media art and put it on the web. Encourage use of TCA's Media Arts Touring catalogue & funding programs.

Empower public libraries to exhibit media arts & to apply for TCA funding. Encourage geographic expansion of media arts, and support smaller markets for funding and touring media arts projects.

Needs of Individual Artists
It is more difficult for media artists to display their work. There are greater technological barriers, the work requires a vehicle, it requires a venue and set show times. Equipment is expensive and in many cases a crew of people is needed to help create the work. So most media artists are based in major metropolitan areas because there is more access to equipment and people. However despite this fact, the media artists still have trouble competing for local funding since it is a specialized and emerging field and not as well represented or understood on local arts boards. We must encourage new media artists through the public education system. Increase education about availability of funds.

Increase education campaigns for existing arts groups and artists. Keep an archive of work and provide a statewide census of services.

Funding
Because the field of media arts is so new and unique, it has special funding needs that can't be compared with more traditional arts. Funding for media arts needs to be centralized, so this emerging field can be nurtured, and so all Texas media artists can have access to the funding. We must encourage applications in the media arts and simplify the application process. Ensure that the media arts application are reviewed by qualified media arts experts. Promote media arts touring programs, especially in smaller communities.

What is the Consensus?
TCA must take a more proactive approach to the media arts, emphasizing education, sponsoring statewide meetings, developing more programming, and providing centralized funding.

One thing that's important is not only to fund this work but to celebrate it, to get it out and distribute it.

For more information, contact the:

Texas Commission of the Arts

P O Box 13406

Austin TX 78711

(512) 463-5535

www.arts.state.tx.us