[Noisebridge-discuss] Art fundraiser suggestion

[Shannon Clark]

Hi all,

I mentioned this in one part of an earlier email and again briefly at
tonight's meeting here is a bit more detail about what I would suggest -
please add suggestions and I'll try to also put up a page on the wiki to
further organize details.

The basic idea is to on a regular basis, starting fairly soon, have an art
show & fundraiser at the Noisebridge space.

Here are my suggestions about how to hold this:

For each show, probably held at night, likely on a Friday night (or Saturday
afternoon-night), the space as a whole will create some limited edition work
or set of works to be sold. My suggestion would be one or more (perhaps as
many as 5 different) posters (probably the "Filmore" sized poster) printed
in a limited edition (100 or perhaps 200) and probably for sale around
$25/ea (perhaps if a set of 5, $100 for the set). (if 5 diff art, 100 copies
@ $100/set = $10,000 minus cost of printing)

I like posters because lots of people collect them, they are visually
interesting, small and easy to get made & sell, and probably not a hard
sell.

Then anyone who is a member could also show a LIMITED number of works (which
could be multiples such as posters, blueprints, kits).

Members could set their prices at whatever they want - from free to many
$1000's and it is up to each member what portion (if any) of that goes to
Noisebridge. Members could show a work that is not for sale, but might want
to think about what they could offer for sale to go with a work not for sale
- blueprints? sketches?

By limited I'm thinking no more than 3 works by any one person. The thinking
here being to focus both on the best works each person has and to emphasize
works from many different people and in many different forms.

We might have some limitations on the size of works (also probably no works
that create fire - at least not active) and works that need to be plugged
into power might be restricted by the safe availability of outlets.

Ideally if these events are a fairly regular happening (I'd suggest every
two months or at least once every three months) then anyone who doesn't show
one time has the first chance to show the next time.

A few other misc thoughts:

- have a "donate your stuff here" barrel and ask people to bring in old
small electronics, tools, and other parts to donate to the space

- coordinate with one or more other local galleries or spaces (Four Barrel
Coffee at 15th & Valencia comes immediately to mind) to have some other
events coincide with the Noisebridge event

- invite local hacker friendly companies to participate (I'm thinking
specifically of Tcho chocolate, founded by former Wired magazine folks), but
I'm sure groups like Creative Commons and the EFF might also participate -
helping to both spread the word and give back

- of course in addition to the sale of some object (posters etc) also have
information about membership, the space, and how to participate

I'm happy to help coordinate this. My thinking is to only very very lightly
curate the actual art - mostly by asking that people only bring works they
are proud of and via limitations of space (i.e. we probably don't want to
put up only one work along a large wall)

Given the diversity of talents and skills I'm certain there are designers
and artists among us who could come up with great posters, flyers for the
event etc.

So that's the idea - I'd suggest picking a date relatively soon (sometime in
Oct - watching out for the LitCrawl weekend which would either be a great
time to hold the event or a horrible time, potentially great in that lots of
people will already be in the neighborhood that weekend)

The goal is to raise money - and do so via creating and selling cool,
beautiful stuff. And if we are wildly successful it just gives us resources
to do more cool stuff. Personally I think that the first goal should be to
have at least 3-4 month's costs set aside and to be starting to think about
what tools (and also what ongoing supplies) might help people create and do
particularly interesting things (and would best fit into the constraints of
the space).

Shannon
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