In 1973, Howard Wise, a gallerist, ended his manifesto with a pressing call for the creation of bold and ‘imaginative funding’ frameworks for video artists. This document later became a cornerstone for the video distributor Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), which Wise established in 1971 after closing his gallery. Wise’s manifesto, filled with utopian ideals, emphasized ‘potential’ and ‘possibility,’ envisioning a future where media artists flourish. However, Wise’s call was pragmatic, urging for immediate coalition building to support these visions. He stated, ‘Imagination and foresight in funding are needed now,’ stressing the need to look beyond the present for fully realized ideas and programs.
Wise’s manifesto did not dictate the exact form of ‘imaginative funding’ but left it open for discussion. His legacy offers insights into what he might have envisioned. At EAI, Wise implemented his principles, trusting artists and researchers to define their work’s form. During a time of growing media arts funding, he supported experimental potential financially and materially. SAIC’s recent decision to divest from Video Data Bank (VDB) marks a significant failure in institutional responsibility, showing a lack of concern for the artistic communities it claims to support. VDB is crucial to video arts, conserving archives and expanding distribution, and its divestment undermines SAIC’s history, as VDB’s origins trace back to SAIC students.
The removal of support from VDB, a pivotal part of SAIC’s media arts heritage, is not only ethically questionable but displays a lack of managerial foresight. The decision was made without consulting VDB’s staff, including its Director, Tom Colley, who dedicated 27 years to the organization. This act reflects a broader pattern seen in U.S. media arts funding, characterized by unpredictability and fragile structures. Support for experimental video began in the 1960s and saw public and private funding grow until the mid-1980s when support waned under political pressures, particularly during the Reagan era. This led to the downsizing of media programs and the end of artist residencies.
The financial instability that began in the 1980s still impacts today’s media arts landscape, with the 2025 Rescissions Act closing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Foundations like Rockefeller and Ford shifted focus, leaving entities such as VDB and EAI to fill gaps. SAIC’s divestment echoes these historical challenges and occurs amid a precarious time for small, experimental organizations. While initiatives like EAI and Rhizome’s new residencies offer hope, they highlight the need for proactive community-building and sustainable funding structures. Wise’s perspective remains valuable: those involved in creative endeavors should lead its future, with community accountability essential.
Maintaining media arts requires a renewed commitment to philanthropic support, focusing on general operational support rather than limited project grants. Distribution systems must be supported to keep works accessible. The video art community must sustain its continuity by demanding transparency and unrestricted funding, rejecting institutional divestment as inevitable. If SAIC ends its partnership with VDB, it must do so ethically, ensuring a responsible transition and empowering the artists and archivists who have long supported VDB.
