The topic of mining and resources companies being the major sponsors of arts organisations and festivals has been an ongoing discussion in Western Australia, and local arts group pvi collective have just launched their 2021 Artwash Awards.
The internationally acclaimed collective whose works often involve elements of disruption, provocation and using performance to highlight injustices and social issues launched the awards back in 2019. This year the awards are even bigger with eleven nominees the public can choose from. It’s an award that most companies don’t want to win.
With an expanded list of nominees this year, the Artwash award celebrates eleven corporate artwashers who look like they play in the dirt whilst maintaining the illusion of clean art-loving hands. It is an impressive feat and one that clearly deserves some fanfare.
The collective say that in their opinion, “The extractive industries already do an outstanding job of hiding behind their social license to operate in order to redirect focus from their destruction of the planet; from community outreach programs, to sporting initiatives, indigenous traineeships, charitable foundations and the occasional bit of tree planting. but what about their contribution to arts and culture, a bit of good old artwashing as well?”
The Artwash award recognises the mining and extractive industries’ contribution to the arts as part of what pvi collective believe is a highly effective public relations strategy of laundering their own social responsibility through festivals, concerts, exhibitions, films, live shows and some of the most prestigious arts institutions in the country.
The group add, “Of course, they could genuinely like the arts, but either way, it is time these generous benefactors were given a moment in the spotlight.”
Their are many ways a company can be eligible for the award, something that pvi collective have visualised via their “sh!tf@*kery graphs”
Whether it is dodging tax, lobbying against climate change policy, making political donations, crafting alternative facts or emitting millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the air, there is a whole host of actual IRL and alleged rat bastard behaviour to choose from.
All nominations are anonymous. The winner will be hand delivered the coveted Artwash 2021 award by the pvi team.
More about the Artwash Award and voting, head to the pvi collective website. The poll is open until midnight Monday 18th October, 2021.
There is also a FAQ about the awards.
OIP Staff
Declaration: OUTinPerth editor Graeme Watson was previously an employee of pvi collective.
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