An eloquent Vantage Art Projects rant

A tiny revolution for Artist Rights

Please note that after my first article Vantage Art Projects (VAP) has now done major site re-construction. The site now addresses many of the matters which made their project dubious in nature. However,  the Artist’s right to their work have still not been thoroughly addressed as well as Artist compensation for the sale of the produced text.

I am glad that the problems which I addressed are slowly being resolved.

I also respond to the request for retraction. Much of this  article has already been posted in the comments of the original article.

My quarrel with Vantage Art Projects  is primarily the lack of information provided to Artists. There is simply a request for money and no explanation why.  There is at least 18 pieces of information missing that I mention in section 2 of my original article which make Vantage Art Projects disreputable. Not providing the applying artist with proper information about their rights, how their work is going to be used, whether or not they lose their image rights, whether or not they will receive any compensation for the use of their work is highly problematic. Artists need to be made aware of their rights to their work before they submit.  All of this information should have been provided with the submission call for the first book.

For example, in the literary industry when an author submits their work to a potential publisher they are not charged with a submission fee. If the author’s work is accepted, the author is made aware of their rights to their work. When the publisher sells the Author’s printed text, the Author makes royalties from the sale of the text.  Artists when submitting their work to press (or exhibition) they are compensated or are informed that they will be making nothing  (or volunteering). Vantage Art Projects does not address the issue of Artist compensation with the sale of the book or lack there of.

In the Art world when there is a submission fee it is explained. Usually it is listed as an administrative fee (in the case of large festivals) or in the case of Magenta that fee goes towards the numerous prizes they award. Vantage Art Projects does not provide any explanation as to how their business functions or why there is a fee. There is absolutely no information on the Vantage website of the Artist’s rights to their work or how the Artist will be compensated based on the sale of set text. There is simply a submission button which is a PayPal button. Having a submission button as a PayPal button is very dubious. Should the artist simply pay first, then find out what their submission requires? What if after they pay, they find out their submission is ineligible? Pay first, find out submission requirements or Artist rights is very strange and dubious. Organizations which require a submission fee always have submission requirements posted prior to paying set fee, Vantage Art Projects does not.

Even if there was no submission fee, Vantage Art Projects is still selling Artist work without posting submission requirements, Artist’s rights, Artist’s compensation and any other pertinent information which is necessary when dealing with selling work in an organization. Selling work makes it a business and therefore contracts and  Image/Artist rights need to be posted prior to submission. When this information is lacking, or when set business does not respond to their own blog or email enquires about these matters, it is a problem. It makes Vantage Art Projects appear highly suspect.

I fight with my pen for the Rights of the Artist. No artist should have their work sold without knowing their rights. No Artist should have to submit without submission information.

The curator Angela Grossmann has graciously participated in stating her side of the story. I do appreciate this as Vantage Art Projects has not opened a dialogue, however VAP has completely re-constructed their website. Apparently, it is a Linux problem and not related any of the problems that I have mentioned. (I wonder if my list of 18 things now appears on their shiny new FAQ)

I do have screenshots of VAP’s old site, however I am missing screen shot of the blog posts dating back to December 24 which critiques and ask for further information on submitting. These posts have been deleted.  The images I am showing are of what Vantage Art Projects looked like prior to the re-construction which occurred within a few days of my posting my original tirade. You are welcome to make comparisons.

Retraction

Grossmann has asked for a retraction. I will respectfully retract “The word that must not be named”, as well as the snake oil salesperson part and the term ‘greedy bastard’ (which was directed at VAP, not Angela Grossmann).  I apologize to Angela Grossmann for the use of these words.

However, I will not retract my criticism of the premise of Gatekeepers. Even without the harsh words I firmly believe that the premise of Gatekeepers is in bad taste of the current economic climate and is an idea which has been appropriated from the student debt episode of ‘Til Debt Due us Part.  Angela Grossmann I applaud your fierce interest in the dialogue the original article created, however you must also accept that criticism is also part of the dialogue.  As both an Art Historian and Critic I cannot retract criticism. I will not move from this issue.