Feb 2, 2026 4 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Mike Tully

Today's respondent is Mike Tully. Mike is an independent graphic designer based in New York City. He works with artists, architects, publishers, and institutions on editorial, exhibition, identity, and research-driven design commissions.…

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Jan 26, 2026 3 min read

Vol. 1, No. 16: School's Out Forever

Dear Soft Labor, I’m a bit distraught. My graduate alma mater, a beloved San Francisco art institution, recently announced its own demise with little fanfare: The school has been purchased by another university and will soon close permanently.…

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Jan 20, 2026 3 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Dushko Petrovich Córdova

Today's respondent is Dushko Petrovich Córdova. Dushko is a painter, essayist, and publisher. He is a co-founder, with Roger White, of Paper Monument . . .…

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Jan 12, 2026 3 min read

Dress Code: Basics

What does the term "basic"—as it pertains to clothes, not people—mean for creative folks? Our last Dress Code, which was devoted to the uniform, offered an answer. The concept of dressing in "basics" implies the same degree of sartorial and even psychological freedom that uniform dressing does.…

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Jan 6, 2026 1 min read

New on Outland: Survival System (on Artist Corporations)

Welcome to Soft Labor, the namesake publication of Soft Labor, a strategic consultancy for organizations, designers, and the culture industry led by Sarah Hromack-Chan. Soft Labor is a publication about creative labor—what it is, what it looks like, and how it has and will continue to change. Did someone…

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Jan 5, 2026 4 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Eve Batey

Todays respondent, the first in 2026, is the inimitable Eve Batey. Eve is a longtime journalist and current contributor to and weekend editor for Vanity Fair. Eve's career began as a co-founding writer and lead editor of SFist, the San Francisco arm of the then-robust Gothamist network.…

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Dec 29, 2025 4 min read

Vol. 1, No. 15: Crisis of Criticism

Dear Soft Labor, I’m an arts worker who side hustles as a freelance cultural critic. I’ve been writing on and off for the better part of twenty years but 2025 is the year that almost broke me.…

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Dec 15, 2025 4 min read

The Last Soft Labor Questionnaire of 2025: Sarah Hromack-Chan

Today's respondent to our last Soft Labor Questionnaire of 2025 is this newsletter's author, Sarah Hromack-Chan. Sarah is the founding principal of the strategic consultancy Soft Labor.…

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Dec 8, 2025 3 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Laura Kleger

Today's respondent is Laura Kleger. Laura is currently the co-Founder and Director of Friday Arts, a nomadic gallery and digital platform that presents exhibitions, artist interviews, short films, and stories to promote deeper engagement with contemporary practice.…

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Dec 1, 2025 4 min read

Vol 1, No. 14: The Trend Trap

Dear Soft Labor, I work as a strategist in a major interdisciplinary design agency that engages mostly with luxury brands. Identifying and analyzing consumer trends comprises a large part of my job. I find my work to be equally fascinating and exhausting.…

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Nov 24, 2025 3 min read

Dress Code: The Uniform

Dress Code is a feature that spotlights workplace looks of all forms and kinds . . .…

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Nov 18, 2025 2 min read

New on Outland: The People's Tools

We're writing to announce the launch of Outland, the publication produced by Outland, a new, nonprofit organization dedicated to publishing and education in the field of art and technology. We've been invited to contribute a monthly column.…

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Nov 17, 2025 4 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Ron Bronson

Today's respondent is Ron Bronson. Ron is a service designer and Assistant Professor of Practice in Urban Technology at the University of Michigan.…

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Nov 10, 2025 2 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: András Szántó

Today's respondent is András Szántó. András advises museums, foundations, educational institutions, and corporations on cultural strategy and program development, worldwide.…

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Nov 3, 2025 5 min read

The Soft Labor Questionnaire: Leonardo Bravo

Today's respondent is Leonardo Bravo. Leonardo is an artist, educator, and curator. His work in the arts sector has exemplified building public and private partnerships that highlight the power of the arts to transform and catalyze vulnerable and underserved communities.…

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