Common Field

Elsewhere co-founder, Stephanie Sherman, co-founded Common Field and Elsewhere is a founding member organization.

MISSION

Common Field connects, supports and advocates for the artist-centered field by providing a network for independent arts organizations and organizers.

VISION

Common Field’s vision is to build platforms and advance thinking that support diversity in identity, geography, history, orientation, perspective, and circumstance and create space for many people to enter and shape the field.

Common Field will be a primary entry point for the field to identify existing models, engage with shared histories, create new connections, and combat the isolation of starting new initiatives and sustaining long-term projects alike.

ABOUT

Common Field is a national network of independent visual arts organizations and organizers that connects, supports, and advocates for the artist-centered field. Founded in 2013 and launched in 2015, the Common Field network has nearly 800 members across the country. Programs include national convenings, grants, research, resources, forums, meet-ups and advocacy. Our vision is to increase understanding, involvement and knowledge of artists organizations and their value, and increase their capacity through national connectivity, dialog understanding and support.

Common Field’s network includes contemporary, experimental, noncommercial artist-centric organizations and organizers including alternative art spaces, publications, digital exhibition venues, residencies, platforms, collectives, collaboratives, and individual organizers. These projects and spaces provide interdisciplinary and hybrid forms for art production, reception, and exchange. They generate independent, responsive, grassroots, artist-centered cultures. They support artists, connect artists with the public in intimate, experimental, and generative ways, and they are deeply involved in the shape and characters of the contexts where they work. Our members stimulate ideas, imagination, and innovation in their communities.

GOALS

• Creating broad public visibility for artist organizations and organizers

• Articulating the common practices and values of visual arts organizing

• Sharing histories and stories of the field

• Facilitating forums for convening, peer-to-peer knowledge, and exchange across geographies and communities

• Providing platforms for resources, tools, and advocacy

• Demonstrating responsive, diverse, and accessible approaches to creative production