SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento artists called on a city commission to investigate the practices of nonprofit Wide Open Walls.
It comes after the recent controversy over Lunar New Year’s murals painted in south Sacramento’s Little Saigon neighborhood.
Outspoken members of the Sacramento art community said the murals were problematic because the artist wasn’t a member of the AAPI community and got some details wrong.
But those are just the start of the problems local artist and activist Shawntay Gorman has with the organization.
“You’re still being underpaid substantially to create huge murals,” Gorman said.
Gorman was among the dozen artists who showed up at the Monday afternoon meeting of the Sacramento Arts Culture and Creative Economy Commission to accuse Wide Open Walls of lacking cultural competence and exploiting artists.
“Now, we have artists who are not afraid to speak, who have come together and are offering each other support,” Gorman said.
Commissioners said the city had no enforcement authority in the Little Saigon mural, which was the result of a contract between Wide Open Walls and a private organization on private property.
But the commissioners said the city can use its compliance authority in the future when the nonprofit wants to paint on public property.
“We as a city, and us being the most diverse city in America, need to take more accountability,” Gorman said.
In a statement, Wide Open Walls said:
“At our festival, all artists receive equal stipends and benefits. Despite a long waiting list of interested artists, the views of a few do not represent the satisfaction of the many who have participated. We assure you, our funds are managed responsibly; a city audit confirmed no misappropriation. The commission's findings weren't disclosed, aligning with the board chair and director's clarification of the commission's role.
We monitored the public comments. We take feedback very seriously and are always striving to grow, learn and do better.
It is very important to note, unlike the majority of festivals across the country, which often don't compensate their artists, Wide Open Walls sets a standard by ensuring our artists are paid for their participation. We're not just the exception; we lead the way with some of the most generous stipends available, making a clear distinction in our commitment to valuing artistic contributions.”
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