Petition to Ensure Artist-Centric Membership and Transparency at Project Artaud

We, the undersigned members of Project Artaud, community members, and concerned citizens,  value the legacy of Project Artaud as a pioneering arts complex in San Francisco’s Mission District. We recognize the stated commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive artist community. To uphold this vision and ensure the sustainability of Project Artaud’s mission, we call on Project Artaud’s elected leadership- Susan Sullivan (President), Julie Phelps (Vice President), John Sullivan (Treasurer), and Sarah Kennedy (Secretary) to:

Prioritize Membership for Working Artists in Need of Housing
Limit membership and tenancy to active, practicing artists across all disciplines to preserve the integrity of Project Artaud as an artist-centered community.
Develop clear definitions and criteria for what constitutes a "working artist," ensuring these criteria are inclusive and reflect the diverse ways artists contribute to the cultural fabric of our city.
Develop clear definitions of when an artist qualifies for access to housing ensuring that they don’t already own property that they  live in. 

Establish a Transparent Membership Process. 
Create a membership accessible process for adding new members that includes clear criteria, a detailed rubric, and an outline of the decision-making process.
Ensure this process is open and equitable, fostering trust and accountability within the community.
Include opportunities for current members to provide input on membership decisions.
Insist that all of the 7 wings of the building utilize the same process for reviewing applications,  interviews, and selecting finalists

Eliminate “who do you know in the building” as a question on the application!!

This is often the most heavily weighed piece of information for progressing to the interview stage. 

Publicize the names of the finalists to the whole building. Members should understand why someone was chosen over others. 
Allow existing members the opportunity to move into the space before offering it to the larger community

Commit to Regular Reviews and Updates

Periodically review and update membership criteria and processes to ensure they remain relevant and inclusive.
Provide regular reports to the community on membership decisions and any changes to policies or criteria.
We are concerned that current policies have allowed for deviations from the mission of Project Artaud as a space for working artists.

For example, the Board has permitted membership for individuals who do not live in the Bay Area to retain spaces here, artists who already own and live in separate houses, those who rent/Airbnb/sublet their second living spaces in Project Artaud at market rates, and those who primarily use their spaces for storage rather than artistic practice.

These practices dilute the intended purpose of the community and risk undermining its role as a haven for active, practicing artists. 

By implementing these measures, Project Artaud can continue to be a thriving, artist-led community that supports creativity, collaboration, and innovation. These steps will reinforce our mission and strengthen our role as a vital resource for artists and the broader San Francisco community.

We urge the leadership of Project Artaud to take immediate action to adopt these principles and practices. By doing so, we can ensure that Project Artaud remains true to its purpose as a sanctuary for working artists and a beacon of artistic excellence during this period of housing scarcity. 

When we raise the standards, we make a better Project Artaud. Nepotism and Cronyism have to end in Project Artaud.