Book excerpt: Taking the Matter into Common Hands maps out the issues surrounding collaborative art from a practitioner's perspective. With contributions from Marion von Osten, Nav Haq, 16 Beaver, Copenhagen Free University, Maria Lind and Lars Nilsson, it examines the working relations between artists and other producers of culture, and explores the future of collective action in the art world. In recent years, the art world has shown a renewed interest in collective work and activity. Collaborations between artists and artists, artists and curators, and artists and outside professionals have begun to rival the traditional focus on the individual artist. This type of collaboration has called into question how we view works of art that are not the voice of a single individual, and how that impacts on the concept of art as a means of self-expression. Taking the Matter Into Common Hands is essential for both academics, practitioners and lay audiences alike 47 colour & b/w illustrations