In the article “No, Artists Aren’t the Winners of the New
Gilded Age,” Ben Davis writes, “Teaching has long been one of the most
significant sources of income for artists, but work conditions for academics
have been eroding for some time, as adjunct labor has become the default within
the academy — in effect, the professoriate is being proletarianized.”
Since artists have traditionally turned to teaching as a way
to support themselves, the rise of adjunct positions in proportion to full-time
positions in US universities is a real concern. In an article in Salon.com
published September 21, 2014, Matt Saccaro investigates the dire working
conditions of adjunct professors. Considering the actual number of hours
worked, both in and out of the classroom, adjuncts make less than minimum wage,
and have no benefits or job security. Many make less than a barista and depend
on food stamps. The article reports that more than half of adjunct professors
in the US have to seek a second job in order to support themselves. For an
artist who is already teaching as a second job, this would be a third job
required to make ends meet.
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