Transformation and Upheavals: The effects of crises and conflicts on the arts 

Political upheavals and processes of social transformation affect the conditions for cultural production, dissemination, education, policy, and management. The transfer from one political party to another, even when it occurs through legitimate political processes, can mean the difference between funding and lack of funding, restrictive versus liberal policies, or freedom of expression and censorship. The 1989 transformations in eastern and middle Europe are one example among many others. Current upheavals in countries such as Poland, Hungary, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine, Hong Kong, Russia, Colombia, and Chile have major implications for cultural management and politics given that artistic autonomy is at risk or already restricted with the potential to fundamentally reorder the cultural field.

This issue seeks contributions that confront and reflect upon current and historic instances of political upheaval that have had a pronounced effect on the arts. Questions and aspects this issue deals with include, but are not limited to

• What impact does social and economic transformation have on arts and cultural fields, their institutions, and actors?
• How do arts institutions ride out the negative consequences of political upheaval until a subsequent transformation brings about more positive circumstances?
• What challenges do arts managers and cultural politicians face in times of social change?
• How do artists react to political upheavals and social transformation?
• In what ways can artistic and cultural initiatives translate into effective (cultural) policies?
• How does artistic autonomy counter and deal with censorship?
• What arts-based strategies, and to what effect, can civil society use to react to transformation?