WHO ARE THE COMMON?

MANIFESTO

COMMON PPL, COMMON ART, COMMON GROUND, COMMUNITY

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The power being wielded by rich white men is destroying our planet and ecosystem, as well as our human rights and democracy. But there’s still a small window of time to save us, and we’ve seen that grassroots activism can and does make a difference. The COMMON collective is a movement dedicated to tearing down the boundaries which keep us apart and disempower us. We believe that through an intersectional art movement we can empower a community to make a real difference, and challenge those who stand in the way of progress.

We vow to:

• Always be inclusive – we will create and use our platform to bring marginalised identities to the forefront of the debate, with emphasis on BAME, LGBTQ+, non-binary, refugee, immigrant, working-class, disabled and female voices. It is through these voices that the instruments of power are truly exposed.

• Always be accessible – everything we do will always be accessible to the communities mentioned ­above.

• Be a safe space – we will set a series of ‘ground rules’, decided on by YOU, so that everyone who is a part of and engages in our collective can be confident that they belong here.

• Sift through the bullshit of the art/academic world that is set up to make anyone who isn’t white, well-off and “well-educated” feel excluded and alienated. Education is about more than just the words you use and the papers you have, it’s about sharing knowledge. Art is for everyone.

• Engage with the community – YOU have a say in how we operate. If you want to be involved, you already are.

Our ultimate aim is to destroy the white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy through the creation of a space that shows how inclusivity and the celebration of diversity creates better art and maintains a better community for everyone :)

R & M x