Sharon Louden artist and educator and Hrag Vartanian, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online art publication Hyperallergic, talk about Louden’s newest book project: The Artist as Culture Producer. Forty visual artists contributed essays to the four hundred page publication. These individuals model some of the ways that culture makers of the 21st century are enriching creative economies around the world. Their first-hand stories may inspire more of us to take on new roles in the public realm, to engage more deeply in our communities.

More About the Book:

The Artist as Culture Producer: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life is a collection of essays by 40 visual artists. Edited by artist and educator, Sharon Louden, the book describes how artists extend their practices outside of their studios. All of these contributors have impactful, artistic activities as change agents in their communities. Their first-hand stories show the general public how contemporary artists of the 21st century add to creative economies through their out-of-the-box thinking while also generously contributing to the well-being of others. Although there is a misconception that artists are invisible and hidden, the truth is that they furnish measurable and innovative outcomes at the front lines of education, the non-profit sector, and corporate environments.

The following artists contributed essays to this book:

Alec Soth (Little Brown Mushroom), Alison Wong (Butter Projects), Andrea Zittel, Austin Thomas, Billy Dufala and Steven Dufala (Rair Philly), Brett Wallace (The Conversation Project), Caitlin Masley, Cara Ober (BMoreArt), Carrie Moyer (Dyke Action Machine), Carron Little (Out of Site Chicago), Chloë Bass, Duncan MacKenzie (Bad at Sports), Edgar Arceneaux, Euan Gray, Faina Lerman and Graem Whyte, Jane South, Jayme McLellan, Jean Shin, Julia Kunin, Kat Kiernan (Don’t Take Pictures), Khaled Sabsabi, Lenka Clayton, Mark Tribe, Martina Geccelli (Raumx London), Matthew Deleget (Minus Space), Michael Scoggins, Morehshin Allahyari, Paul Henry Ramirez, Peewee Roldan (Green Papaya Art Projects), Robert Yoder (Season), Sharon Butler (Two Coats of Paint), Shinique Smith, Stephanie Syjuco, Steve Lambert (The Center for Artistic Activism), Tim Doud and Zoë Charlton (‘sindikit), Wendy Red Star, William Powhida.

Additional contributors include:

Hrag Vartanian, Editor-in-Chief  and Co-founder of Hyperallergic (Foreword), and Deana Haggag, Director of The Contemporary in Baltimore, MD, Courtney Fink, Co-founder of Common Field, and Chen Tamir Curator at the Center for Contemporary Art in Tel Aviv, Israel (Conclusion).

Sound Editor: Guney Ozsan | Photos courtesy Sharon Louden and Hrag Vartanian