IDAT99 and no budget

Jean-Marc Matos (kdmatos@worldnet.fr)
Thu, 17 Dec 1998 13:37:20 +0100

Hello everybody on the list,
I would like to make this mail exchange (A, B, C) available to whoever
has any comments about it.
All the best to all of you.
Jean-Marc Matos

A- <At 11:39 PM 12/11/98, Jean-Marc Matos wrote:
New message because no answer was received.
Subject: practical question
Date: Fri, 04 Dec 1998 22:51:16 +0100
From: Jean-Marc Matos <kdmatos@worldnet.fr>
Organization: K.Danse
To: Arizona <idat99@asu.edu>
Hello,
Since the year is finishing, February is getting closer.
In terms of practical manners, I would like to know when the plane
ticket for the US will be available, and received here in France. Thanks
for letting me know about it so that I can prepare other things for the
presentations, in time, without having to deal with that at the last
moment.
Could you please tell me at what hotel I will be staying so that I can
give an address where people can reach me during my stay in Arizona.
In advance, thanks a lot for that.
I really look forward meeting with you all.
All the best for the preparations.
Jean-Marc Matos

B- dat99 wrote:
Dear Jean-Marc,
We would like to apologize for any confusion. The conference budget is
unable to provide presenters with airfare and hotel accommodations.
Sorry for any inconvenience or misunderstanding. WE still look forward
to seeing you in February. Sincerely,

C- My answer:
Dear organizers of the IDAT99, Arizona

Since I received on December 15th the following information "The
conference budget is unable to provide presenters with airfare and hotel
accommodations" I am simply shocked by such a pathetic and unacceptable
attitude.
I have being working on issues related with dance and technology for the
last 15 years and this is happening for the first time in my life: a
proposal comes, I apply, I get accepted, I work on a complete paper,
months pass and when the time comes for me to ask about practical
concerns the answer is "there is no money"!
Just two added bits of information: I'm an independent choreographer,
not an University based artist, therefore I live, like any other artist,
through the work I'm able to produce whether this comes from selling
performances, teaching, conferencing, etc...
How can an Institution expect to have artists working for free?
I profoundly disagree with this wild "free capitalist" attitude which
says "hey guys here you can make good promotion of your work"!
I also, by the way, disagree, with entirely state supported art and I
think that some level of private support is necessary.
The search for an harmony in between the two is part of the autonomy we
can all gain from.
The second bit of information is the following: I recently was quite
instrumental in helping the organization of a conference on dance and
technology, at the CitŽ de la Musique in Paris, in which two colleagues
(coming from abroad) were invited.
It was without saying that, of course, their travel and hotel
accommodations were taken care of.
How can this happen?
Why organizing an international conference then?
Just to get University supported people to get together? That's fine.
But then avoid sending out a call for proposals.
I am really sorry for this to happen.
It is perfectly clear that I do not have the personal financial means to
travel all the way from France to Arizona, and pay hotels, food, etc...I
never thought this being holidays for me!
Please accept my anger and profound disappointment.
Sincerely .
Jean-Marc Matos