H-Net Discussion Networks - Call for information on Left arts

View the H-Labor-Arts Discussion Logs by month
View the Prior Message in H-Labor-Arts's October 2009 logs by: [date] [author] [thread]
View the Next Message in H-Labor-Arts's October 2009 logs by: [date] [author] [thread]
Visit the H-Labor-Arts home page.

From: John Pietaro <leftmus@earthlink.net>
List Editor: Rachel Bernstein <rachel.bernstein@NYU.EDU>
Editor's Subject: Call for information on Left arts
Author's Subject: call for information on Left arts
Date Written: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:10:32 -0400
Date Posted: Wed, 27 Oct 2009 16:10:32 -0400

  THE CULTURAL WORKERS: RADICAL ARTS AND REVOLUTIONARY ARTISTS IN THE  20TH
CENTURY USA is a book that I am currently writing; it will cover  protest arts
in this country between 1900 and the present day. The  manuscript is currently
nearing 300 pages and I am anticipating  nearing completion in the next couple
of months. I have not approached  any publishers as of yet, however, I have
strong contacts in this  area.

  Information Sought--

  I am seeking some more information and particularly any possible
 personal accounts of Left arts activism at this stage of
 near-completion. Musicians, writers, visual or theatre artists,
 dancers who have engaged in signicant arts activism can offer powerful
 testimony to the movement an dits use of the arts. My intent is to
 make this a well-balanced study, one that covers Left parties of all
 sizes as well as other organizations and independent arts activists as
 well. The main body of the work is a detailed chrological look at
 protest arts, seen within the context of revolutionary movements. The
 cultural programming of the Communist Party USA, especially in earlier
 decades, will be a strongly detailed, as well as that of the IWW and
 Socialist Party USA. However, I am in need of data and personal
 accounts of arts activism in the period bridging the Cold War and the
 latter days.

  Those who have been active in the arts within the CP, SP, IWW or any
 smaller organization, as well as those who are purely independent but
 have been active in this regard, please be in touch with me. Again,
 the period in the post Cold War era would be of the most value, but I
 would love to hear from anyone who served as a cultural worker in any
 serious capacity within the realm of the American Left (please note: I
 am not interested in stories of artists who have been a part of
 Democratic campaigns but never served a Left party or action at this
 time).

  Please write me at leftmus@earthlink.net or call me at 845-591-2161
 if not online.

  In Solidarity,
  John Pietaro - www.flamesofdiscontent.org

Humanities & Social
Sciences Online