Distribution as Recognition

The Distribution as Recognition card is here to remind you of making your work more visible and accessible. Without distribution, our efforts will remain inaccessible to those we wish to reach. This card may appear when you are not sharing your work to remind you that the gift of your work shines when people can experience it.

If you are on the periphery of cultural production and/or working in a minority language, you may have come to a point in which the labor it took you to access those your work is intended for has finally paid off. You are at the point of achieving enough public recognition to have a space in which you can finally allow your peripheral visions to grow. You may currently be experiencing the growth of your networks from spreading your work and experiencing it resonating with others, fostering a sense of solidarity and shared purpose.

However, accessing distribution channels often comes with various barriers. The pursuit for wider distribution might be leading to the exploitation of your already limited resources. You might be finding yourself in a discouraging situation where the effort associated with distribution is diverting your energy away from the work you want to focus on.

The card may also be a sign of being stuck in / repelled by the notion of pursuing and relying on social capital, a side effect of the neoliberal cultural moment. One of the common issues this card speaks to is a clash of distribution principles that happens in group settings, in which people have different opinions whether any opportunity to distribute work is worthwhile, which principles to adhere to when choosing distribution channels, and when and how to make compromises.

Distributing outside of the work’s original context can lead to misinterpretation or cultural appropriation. This is particularly delicate for those on the periphery whose work may be oversimplified and exploited in order to make it more marketable.