Introducing Hard Art

In late 2022, a group of artists, activists, democracy specialists, faith leaders, economists, scientists and more began gathering in the studio of musician and artist Brian Eno.

The meetings were prompted by the realisation that people in all parts of society are working for the change our world so urgently needs, but are often doing so in siloed isolation. And that while myriad people and organisations are in effect having the ‘same’ conversation, we are often utilising different technical language. So faith groups and musicians, economists and climate scientists, artists and activists don’t even know that our purpose is utterly aligned.

When we came together the impact was immediate: we could feel our shared hopes, concerns, and beliefs, even as we differed in backgrounds, professions, and temperaments.

Together, we began to organically explore ideas alongside likeminded groups who inspired us. Through an organic process, those meetings marked the birth of a new project:

HARD ART.

What is HARD ART?

HARD ART is a cultural collective of artists, activists, and scientists standing in solidarity in the face of climate and democratic collapse.

We create work on our own and together that speaks to our challenges and attempts to open up space for something new.

We do not do this from any fixed political or partisan position. We embrace change and evolution, and do it in ways that line up with what both we as people and our planet need.

How we work together

We physically gather together twice a month. HARD ART meetings are a mix of open-ended dialogue and structured collaboration. Guests are sometimes invited to give a deeper look into a specific issue — economics, politics, climate science. We devote time to support likeminded projects with ideas and consultation, as well as cook up ideas of our own.

In 2024 we're beginning to publicly release work for the first time.

Our early experiments include works by individual members of the group; works by collections of members; and large-scale projects collectively executed by HARD ART.

Those releases include:

The Work WE Need to Do (zine) by Absurd Intelligence, Jeremy Deller and Fraser Muggeridge studio

Open letter to all people of conscience in response to the acquittal of the HSBC 9 by Hard Art and 100+ artists, activists, scientists, and public servants

The Fête of Britain by Hard Art in collaboration with Factory International

You can learn more about these releases on their Metalabel catalogue pages.

Why we're on Metalabel

We're excited to experiment in this space on Metalabel, which affords us the flexibility to release work across mediums, with various configurations of members, and in various states of finished or unfinishedness.

We're planning to release work across many different styles, mediums, and formats, but all reinforcing the core ideals of HARD ART: that the world can be better than this; that we shouldn't accept the mediocrity of the status quo; and that creativity and art can open up space for a new and better world.

How you can get involved

We're still learning how to operate ourselves, and are grateful to have people interested in our work. If you'd like to get a closer look at what we're doing, and potentially be included in future projects, join us by subscribing to our work through any of our Metalabel drops.

Thank you!