Creative Responsibility: The Place of Civically-engaged Artists in Mexico City

This thesis is written in support of the ongoing creation of Mexus, a digital platform envisioned by the author. Mexus serves to highlight, connect, and support the work of civically engaged art workers in Mexico City. It seeks to strengthen their online presence through a digital directory; allow them to share knowledge and experiences thanks to downloadable "Tips"; encourage them to exchange resources through a creative barter marketplace. This thesis is divided in two separate but complementing sections. The first section is a "traditional" thesis that examines the history of cultural policy in Mexico to shed light on the current cultural context in the capital, the working conditions of artists, and the relation between civic engagement and artistic practice. It reviews contemporary initiatives of civically engaged art and presents the author's research: an eight-weeks long fieldwork in Mexico City based on observation, participant observation, and interviews. The second section takes the form of a project presentation and business plan for Mexus. It explains the functioning of the platform and details options for implementation and evaluation being considered by the author.