Great talk about Kickstarter, crowdfunding and DYI culture

The Huffington Post has this amazing, if now slightly out of date video about, Kickstarter and the rapidly emerging culture of DYI, creativity and invention that's out there.

Lot's of good points are made about how the process adds a level of connection and sense of personal ownership between projects and their funders.

Kickstarter expects to pass the NEA in arts funding

Depending on how you look at it, this is either a really good sign of grass roots, creative funding or a grim look at how little we value arts at the federal level,although the federal government also funds the arts through the NEH, educational grants and a wide range of other programs.

Personally, I'm mostly in the camp that sees this as totally great! The NEA while a core funder of some major institutions, has failed completely at supporting a dynamic and creative ecosystem. Most likely, one can't expect it to do so.

From The Huffington Post

In general, Kickstarter projects follow a looser definition than the NEA's, described as "creative" projects rather than solely artistic ones. The NEA's recent grantees include Magic City Smooth Jazz, supporting their Jazz in the Park series, and the Puppetry Arts Theater, Inc. in Brooklyn, NY, to support a production of a new musical, "Antropomorphic" (see a list of recent grant recipients here), and are often meant to promote arts education as much as specific projects.

Strickler added that the company views the implication of the $150 million number "in both a good and a bad way."

It's best described as the National Endowment For Certain Famous and Connected Institutions, Artists and Curators. (the folks who likely need that kind of funding-the least)

Hopefully this is just the start of a trend, both online and off to better fund creativity at all levels. Remember also that Kickstarter supports seed funding for projects rather than continuing support for institutions.

(P.S. In spite of the term "endowment", the NEA, has no funds set aside or invested and is funded on annual basis out of the general Federal budget)

Amazing Milestone: Two Kickstarter projects raise over a million dollars.

So many things I should post about.

Wow, most people assume you can't raise really big money through crowdsourced funding and most people and organizations don't try.

"LOS ANGELES — Last night at 6:42 pm in New York, a Kickstarter project raised $1 million. Double Fine Adventure, a video game designed by San Francisco game designer Tim Schafer and his team at Double Fine Productions, is a downloable “point-and-click” graphic adventure game. Backers get both the game and a real time documentary filmed by 2 Player Productions as the game develops."

From Hyperallergic

Stunning but not a record because 4 hours earlier another project passed the million mark.

Obviously, I find so many reasons to love this. In spite of supposed efforts at outreach, the vast majority of conventional government and foundation funding goes to the same folks and ideas over and over.

What is the record for an art project?

Project To Bring a Fish Farm To Youngstown's Idora Neighborhood

Idora has come up here before. It lost it's classic amusement park to a fire, it's carousel is now under The Brooklyn Bridge and many of it's houses have been abandoned.

Still recent efforts have created urban gardens and sustainable agriculture which both adds some life and employment while making the area healthier and more attractive.

See the details and consider supporting them on Kickstarter.

"Is The Age Of The Foundation Over?" Thoughts From an Artist

One big reason I have this blog, is to say a few things that I feel need to be said. Many artists feel that there are deep problems with the traditional arts funding process that go way deeper than just a lack of money-but surprisingly few will say so publicly.

Happily, in these very hard times, more creative people are stepping outside the system and developing many new ways of getting money.

A Cleveland Artist and blogger has a great post on the subject (you may have seen her work at Boxheart)

Let’s face it, many people who sit of boards or head up foundations are living in a bubble going for the same kinds of projects time after time. In fact, how many artists or writers get grants or funding consistently? Quite a few! It’s almost as if they’ve proven they got funding from one reputable source, then it’s okay to give the green light because it looks good for the foundation to be in the know, not to mention an opportunity for press. Again, most board members and judges don’t go out of their comfort zone (ask any of them if they know about new art movements, and they don’t), and many really don’t care but are partaking for social cache. Then there are the ones who grant to former colleagues (cough*cough* NEA grants cough*), former students, or as in the case of a Rome Prize juror — their girlfriend. It really is like winning the lottery sometimes and not just based on reputation or quality of what you do. This isn’t to say everyone who gets awarded isn’t deserving, but it can be very spotty at best.

Further on...

Now here’s the funny part: everyone I know who has been denied grant or bank loans went to the internet and got funding. In fact, many got over-funded! Thanks to websites like Kickstarter, funding isn’t based on a small group of old ladies who don’t like nudes in art or a guy in a bad suit looking at your credit score.

Help The Rock Hall Buy The Yasgur's Farm Sign

Yup, lot's of major institutions are now also using kickstarter to raise funds for selective projects.

The Rock Hall recently acquired an old sign advertising the Dairy Farm that became the site of Woodstock.

"An anonymous donor has agreed to help fund half of the $24,000 acquisition costs by contributing $12,000 toward the project. This donation came with the condition that other music fans provide the remaining amount through this on-line campaign. We need your support to meet this goal. It will be exhibited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum this August to commemorate Woodstock’s 42nd anniversary."

Check out the details and support if you can on kickstarter

"This project will only be funded if at least $12,000 is pledged by Monday Aug 15, 12:00am EDT."

Support Fleeting Pages on Kickstarter

Face it, the economy sucks-almost everywhere, many great causes and art projects need support and we can't help everyone.

Fleeting Pages is a concept that will

A) Make use of an existing empty space in the city--and we know there are still so many of them.

B) Create energy in the city and inspire more building owners to allow more flexible uses.

C) Show off the incredible diversity of writers, self publishers, and Indie Press both inside and outside the region

D) Provide critical income to hard working but unrecognised authors, artists and poets

E) Allow for important interactions between local, regional and national writers, publishers and creators

F) Create opportunities for educational workshops, demonstrations, readings, film screenings and performances.

"In essence, Fleeting Pages consists of taking over (taking back??) one of the spaces, left empty by a failed big box bookstore (Borders) in Pittsburgh, for one month, starting May 7th, and filling it with independent & self-published work of all kinds, book arts, workshops, and events.

All revolving around various forms of written self-expression.

The idea is a result of a few things; a great appreciation for independent and self-published works of all kinds, as well as for those who create them, the toll taken on local booksellers by big box bookstores, a concern for the cultural effects of big box stores in both their existence and their failure, and a general frustration with the model of the publishing industry.

We felt compelled to do something. Fleeting Pages is what we came up with. It will test the theory that what is happening with “books” – creation, consumption, access – matters to many. And if given the opportunity to take over, or take back, one of these empty spaces they will. And in the most brilliant of ways.

The end result, what Fleeting Pages will ultimately become, is a beautiful unknown as it is dependent upon what others are willing to add. The framework is there – the space, the concept, and a few people volunteering to work their hardest in support of the project."

Please consider supporting Fleeting Pages on Kickstarter with a contribution of as little as a dollar