Post by denmarkvesey on Oct 13, 2011 20:57:20 GMT -5
To Whom It May Concern:
Here is my proposal for a an Arts "Group." Little about me first:
I have been an organizer in Albany for roughly 15 years. I used to volunteer in H.S. at the Social Justice Center's store Peace offerings which sold fairly traded goods.
I was heavily involved in the activist community both as an undergrad/grad student at Suny Albany and the Albany area around peace and civil rights issues from 2001-2005
In 2006 I opened a Gallery Art and Craft called Kismet Gallery in Troy NY. My intent originally was for it to be a coop this was hard to do and the work fell on me and my partner to run it as a partnership with the hope it could one day be a Coop. The gallery sold handmade art and crafts with the mission of making these accessible to the community (low price, high quality). The Gallery was voted top Gallery consistently by the Times Union and voted highly by Metroland peoples choice. I helped to get Troy Night Out off the ground and made it a succesful event. The gallery was forced to close in 08 due to personal diifferences and the Recession.
After the Gallery closed I worked with Samson Contompasis and my friends Dwell and oneUnit in getting other Arts events in Albany. My proposal is this:
1. Any Art music group that comes out of the OA movement should be affiliated but really its own entity. I would like to see a Radical Coop in Albany. I have many contacts in the community who are well reknowed artists and musicians. I believe it is feasible to start a Coop and aquire a legitimate space (ie purchase a building).
2. I believe the perfect building is the former Key Bank on the corner of Madison and South Pearl across from McDonald's. The building is in great shape is very large and only $160,000. There is ample room for studios, venue, restaurant, gallery, and retail space.
3. If we could get 50 artists musicians to buy a $200 share into the space and commit to 10 hours a month as a coop we could buy the building. I also know of grant programs where by we could get upwards of $15,000 towards down payment and closing costs. I would be willing to capitialize an endevor with a legitimate buisness plan above $200.
4. I believe we should not only tap into individual artists but also tap into gallery/arts groups and build a popular arts front around setting up a sustainable Artist Coop that incorporates not only visual/performance arts but music, culinary arts, and crafts.
5. I believe we could not only put on events and provide an outlet for creative people to make money off their work but also give back to the community through skill shares, arts mobile, and other projects.
6. I like the name for a proposed group as the Revolutionary Arts Guild R.A.G (Let Clean This Sh t Up). But, regardless we can work on the name.
7. We can work with contacts I have at Sefcu at putting together a Capital District Dollar like Ithaca.
If anyone is interested in this or other ideas regarding the arts we should meet after the meeting.
My email is mfiske@albanylaw.edu
Here is my proposal for a an Arts "Group." Little about me first:
I have been an organizer in Albany for roughly 15 years. I used to volunteer in H.S. at the Social Justice Center's store Peace offerings which sold fairly traded goods.
I was heavily involved in the activist community both as an undergrad/grad student at Suny Albany and the Albany area around peace and civil rights issues from 2001-2005
In 2006 I opened a Gallery Art and Craft called Kismet Gallery in Troy NY. My intent originally was for it to be a coop this was hard to do and the work fell on me and my partner to run it as a partnership with the hope it could one day be a Coop. The gallery sold handmade art and crafts with the mission of making these accessible to the community (low price, high quality). The Gallery was voted top Gallery consistently by the Times Union and voted highly by Metroland peoples choice. I helped to get Troy Night Out off the ground and made it a succesful event. The gallery was forced to close in 08 due to personal diifferences and the Recession.
After the Gallery closed I worked with Samson Contompasis and my friends Dwell and oneUnit in getting other Arts events in Albany. My proposal is this:
1. Any Art music group that comes out of the OA movement should be affiliated but really its own entity. I would like to see a Radical Coop in Albany. I have many contacts in the community who are well reknowed artists and musicians. I believe it is feasible to start a Coop and aquire a legitimate space (ie purchase a building).
2. I believe the perfect building is the former Key Bank on the corner of Madison and South Pearl across from McDonald's. The building is in great shape is very large and only $160,000. There is ample room for studios, venue, restaurant, gallery, and retail space.
3. If we could get 50 artists musicians to buy a $200 share into the space and commit to 10 hours a month as a coop we could buy the building. I also know of grant programs where by we could get upwards of $15,000 towards down payment and closing costs. I would be willing to capitialize an endevor with a legitimate buisness plan above $200.
4. I believe we should not only tap into individual artists but also tap into gallery/arts groups and build a popular arts front around setting up a sustainable Artist Coop that incorporates not only visual/performance arts but music, culinary arts, and crafts.
5. I believe we could not only put on events and provide an outlet for creative people to make money off their work but also give back to the community through skill shares, arts mobile, and other projects.
6. I like the name for a proposed group as the Revolutionary Arts Guild R.A.G (Let Clean This Sh t Up). But, regardless we can work on the name.
7. We can work with contacts I have at Sefcu at putting together a Capital District Dollar like Ithaca.
If anyone is interested in this or other ideas regarding the arts we should meet after the meeting.
My email is mfiske@albanylaw.edu
