Semester of Graduation
Fall 2025
Degree Name
Master’s Degree in Art and Design, Museum Studies
Department
School of Art and Design
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Jessica Stephenson
Second Advisor
Dr. Laura Wingfield
Abstract
There is a contradiction at the heart of the relationship between artists and the public in the United States. Art is considered culturally important and beneficial to the public, yet hardly any public funding is paid directly to artists for their labor. Moreover, because the nature of art production in contemporary society does not align easily with capitalism’s need for constant growth and profit, artists are often on the economic fringes in a constant state of precarity. These conceptual arguments are explored in this project, and the related research aims to position artists as members of the working class who deserve to be fairly compensated for their labor production. To demystify contradictions and bolster the argument for adequate wages for artists, primary source research was conducted on three Atlanta-based artist collectives from the 1970s that received public funding to create programming, workshops, and exhibitions for their communities. These groups – the Neighborhood Arts Center, the Atlanta Art Workers Coalition, and the Atlanta Women’s Art Collective – recognized the shared economic interests of artists, committed themselves to making art for public benefit, and shaped Atlanta into the city it is today. To reach an audience inclusive of those outside of academia, research findings were compiled into a single narrator history podcast called Art Worker, available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.