Doomscroll with Joshua Citarella Amber A’Lee Frost on Dirtbag
Dec 19, 2023
Amber A’Lee Frost, a writer and former Chapo Trap House co-host, dives deep into her new book, Dirtbag. She shares insights on life after quitting social media and how it enhanced her focus. Amber discusses the economic hardships of creative precarity and the necessity of political organizing. She critiques the decline of curated culture due to algorithms and the commodification of art by elite collectors. With a focus on building public cultural provisions, she advocates for a socialism that makes life functional and supports unionized trade work for better opportunities.
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Episode notes
Patronage Can Be Mercurial
- Amber recounts a Walton-funded contemporary ballet studio that shut down when the patron lost interest.
- She uses it to show how elite-funded projects can be unstable and capricious.
Start With Small Public Wins
- Amber urges demanding small public wins like museum free days as stepping stones to larger arts funding.
- She recommends building pressure to reclaim baseline cultural supports.
New Donors Shift Philanthropic Priorities
- Frost notes younger wealthy donors prefer causes like climate and justice over traditional arts stewardship.
- She sees this as shifting elite priorities and funding patterns for institutions.
