We’re glad you asked. While we recognize that there are many forms of invisible labor that take place in gallery, museum, and other exhibition contexts, we were developed to primarily serve the needs of workers who do the physical, manual labor that goes in to making an exhibition.

The evidence of this labor can be seen, but is not considered the “content” of the exhibition: Lighting, casework, a sharp painted line, a clean corner, transporting and installing art and artifacts, preparing the wall text, environment building, projector-wrangling, etc.

In particular, we are interested in advocating for workers who have little institutional security: on-call, temporary, independent contractors, freelancers, project-based workers, but temporary status is not a requirement and we are interested in fostering conversation across categories of employment.

If you identify as a preparator, technical specialist, art handler, installer, or exhibition builder, you are probably an “Art Worker”. This definition may broaden in the future, but for now, we would like to illuminate this area of Art Work.

PARTICIPATE

By filling out this form you are agreeing to be a part of a large network of people working in the arts, focusing on creating a mutual support network for art preparators working within the Bay Area. This includes but is not limited to occasional emails about forums and resources. You may choose at any time to be removed from this alliance, by sending an email

first name*

last name*

current email address*

are you currently employed?

if so, where? if not, where have you worked in the past or within the last year?

how long have you been doing this kind of work?

do you work other part time or on-call jobs?

teaching, writing, consulting, gardening, catering, etc..

additional information

your website, tumblr, anything else you think we should know...

I affirm that I am an art handler or preparator and not an employer or a robot*

yes