The second period of the Omuz Solidarity and Sharing Network has ended!
Omuz, a solidarity network among those working and producing in the visual arts, has completed the second period between 10th August – 10th November 2020. Thank you for your support.

In the process;

• Applications for “Receive Support” were completed between 10th August and 10th September.
• The “Give Support” commitments were made between 10th August and 10th October.
• On 11th October , receive supporters were determined with the automatic matching of the Excell software.
• An information e-mail was sent to those who will provide and receive support between 10th October and 16th October. IBAN numbers and contact information of those to receive support were shared with those to give support. Volunteer facilitators followed up the bank transfer receipt.
• 308 applicants working and producing in the visual arts; artists, art workers, curators, writers, and art professionals applied to receive support. Resources were shared with 81 people among these applicants.
• As a result of the application made to the SAHA Sustainability Fund, 20 people were supported by the SAHA + membership program within the scope of the SAHA Sustainability Fund.

The recording of the Excel matching software, bank transfer receipts and correspondences are archived in a folder linked to the account of omuz.iletisim@gmail.com, only to be accessed by the facilitators in order to keep the privacy of the applicants.

Visibility:

• Omuz was a guest of the Diğerkam broadcast program on Açık Radyo.
• Omuz was a guest of the Mazruf broadcast program on Açık Radyo.
• Omuz was a guest of the program Günebakan on TRT Radyo.
• Omuz was featured in Magnet Magazine’s November issue with an article written by Melis Golar.
• Omuz participated in Spot’s online event.
• Omuz took a part in the talk titled “Different Forms of Collectivity in Art” in Base Istanbul online art-talk series. It can be seen on Base Istanbul YouTube channel.

How Can I Support Omuz?

• You can give 1000 TL and multiples ‘Support’ to Omuz via www.omuz.org.
• If this amount exceeds your individual budget, you can create a joint budget with your friends and give 1000 TL ‘Support’ to 1 person.
• You can be a volunteer to disseminate Omuz through your social media channels.
• You can be a volunteer to become a facilitator of Omuz.
• If you would like to be an Omuz facilitator or join the meetings, please reach out to omuz.iletisim@gmail.com

The third-period calendar of the Omuz:

• 1-31st December 2020, applications open to receive support.
• 1st December 2020 – 10 January 2021, applications open to give support
• 10 – 31st January 2021, matching of supporters and receivers, follow-up on bank transfers, reporting.

About labor sharing and exchange:
You can create a resource sharing through labor by entering the service support you can provide, your workspace from the excel file on the link. https://bit.ly/3mo1UJt
This can be used as a resource for the labor exchange or job opportunities we are planning in the future, or it can be considered as a preliminary study. In order to get support and give support, the fields of work that the applicants are related to can be asked and added to this list.

Working Groups

You can join the working groups about the future of the Omuz. Link: https://bit.ly/3e1xQQN

Social Media Account @omuzorg

Frequently asked questions:

• Why there isn’t any criteria for those who want to get support?

The only requirement for getting support from Omuz is to be from the field of visual arts although this statement has a broad framework, it helped us identify the components in the field. We aimed to bring forth the workers of visual arts; artists, bookkeepers, art handlers, curators, magazine distributors, mold-makers, writers, studio assistants, frame-makers, gallery workers, editors and many more. We intended to point out the insecurities of these art professionals and hourly workers, intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic outcomes. We hope that this attempt by Omuz will evolve into a discussion of a solidarity-based union of art professionals.

• Who will receive my support and how do I know if they need it?

Omuz believes that mutual trust and unconditional resource sharing should be rethought first without any probing. Omuz is not a corporate platform, it is impossible to detect and confirm the need levels of the applicants wanting to receive support. Omuz decided to move on by trusting the applicants’ claims. This is why you can not know who your support will be matched with, as it is dependent on the algorithms of the Excel software.

• Who is organizing?

Omuz started as an immediate response to the discussions between artists and art workers, around the economic inequalities and social insecurities of the field, intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Omuz is not an association nor a foundation—Omuz does not receive funds, donations, or support. It functions as a bridge between those who would like to receive support and those who would like to give support, facilitating the transactions.

• What is the role of the facilitators?

Facilitators work towards creating a safety net by primarily reaching out to their closest circles. They recite Omuz to those who can give financial/workforce support, working towards building up the network of solidarity. In order to address specific needs, Omuz keeps working on expanding its structure to include health services, food, physical resources and more.

The facilitators of the first period are Banu Cennetoğlu, Yasemin Özcan, Yavuz Parlar, Sevim Sancaktar and Saliha Yavuz. The facilitators of the second period are Aslı Özdoyuran, Ayça Telgeren, Civan Özkanoğlu, Saliha Yavuz ve Sevim Sancaktar. Support in other areas such as web design, text editing and many more were received from the names mentioned on the website.

Each period is facilitated by a new group of volunteers, as previous facilitators also have a presence to transfer their experience. By following this process, Omuz intends a fluid and non-hierarchical model of organization. The third-period facilitators of Omuz are Görkem İmrek, Bager Akbay, Melis Bektaş, Civan Özkanoğlu, Aslı Özdoyuran, Saliha Yavuz, Ayça Telgeren.