I think I may have mentioned at some time in past blogs that I wish we (the world at large) could transcend our current consciousness and expand into a StarTrekian consciousness where everyone gets to do work they enjoy and are suited for, machines do the dirty work no one wants to do, and everyone has more than enough of everything they need to live a full and completely expressive life. Unfortunately, we aren't there.
We all know that arts funding was one of the first casualties and has continued to be bled dry over the past 40 years and especially within the past 10. Educational monies disappeared and art class and band got canceled. Then art museums and other public art venues began to struggle to stay relevant--the least of which is the Corcoran (one of my favorite places to visit when I lived in Washington D.C.) which is currently being sold out to the highest bidder. Top the fact that our funding dollars both at a national level and at an individual level are being shelled out to other agendas with the fact that our disposable income shrinks in what seems to be daily doses. Have you gone grocery shopping lately? It's not quite to the point where I need the wheel barrow full of useless paper money to buy a loaf of bread, but figuratively it seems to be getting quite shockingly similar. The already rich, of course, have hidden their dollars well and lined their mattresses apparently with their gold coin because while the world struggles to get by, art sales at auction are skyrocketing with the prices that pieces are fetching.
Okay, so I try not to get too political or to spend too much time on these bleak details. I merely wish to point out that the opportunities that the average American has to experience art and be a part of art production seems to be shrinking. Perhaps that is just one perspective and in fact the opportunities are richer than ever before. It is certainly my contention that artists are clever folk and being creative, tend to find ways to express and exhibit their works whether the funds exist or not. I cite here the many yarn bombings and astounding street art exhibits that, should one look close enough, can be found in many cities across the nation.
All that being said, we at Bohemian Art Cafe have pledged ourselves to our partner in art life, Artify Projects, to assist in a very specific way to bring "more art to more cities and more venues" where the public can experience, view and participate in art. We think this is a highly worthy goal. We personally have taken on the task of trying to crowd source the funding for a new "food trailer" style travel trailer for a mobile art gallery for Artify Projects. Their rather old, rather unsuited traveling art gallery (a very time-worn cargo trailer that will not allow a man over 5'10" to stand comfortably without the fear of whacking his head) has been fine for the needs up until now. However, with the growth of the organization and the expanded number of projects for the year as well as the increase in the number of art show exhibition dates, cities and venues, they really need a traveling art gallery that is more suitable.
While Artify Projects will show at venues that are decidedly artful such as community and university art galleries, they also have a goal of making art available to "Every One" (in pre-Politically Correct times that might have been Every Man). That means they need a mobile gallery that can be pulled up into the parking lots of partnering grocery stores, libraries, city park parking lots, restaurants, and pretty much anywhere that people gather so that more they can reach their stated goal of "more projects in the hands of more people, seen in more cities, in more venues, over more dates."
The cost of a brand new, fully loaded "food truck" style trailer can run upwards of $25,000. We know that may not be reasonable or practical at this time. But we also know that a gently-used, in need of a little TLC mobile trailer that requires minor renovations can be had and renovated for about $10,000. In some instances less (do you have a lovely food truck sitting in a garage that you aren't using and want to sell for a song as a patron of the arts?). We have a talented team of individual sponsors who are capable and want to renovate such a gently used trailer. If you have a little disposable income (any amount moves us closer to our goal) then we would be so grateful for your contribution to our crowd sourced funding project. Go to Go Fund Me and donate what you can. For every donor who contributes at least $25, if you want your name included in our Thank You to our Donors panel, it will be. This is one of my personal goals--to assist them in bringing more art to the world.
I know this won't feed any starving children nor give a home to a desperately needy animal, but it will help to stir the imaginations and creative hearts of those whose lives the mobile art gallery touches. Won't you please help me meet my goal at http://www.gofundme.com/6pn6rg ?
We all know that arts funding was one of the first casualties and has continued to be bled dry over the past 40 years and especially within the past 10. Educational monies disappeared and art class and band got canceled. Then art museums and other public art venues began to struggle to stay relevant--the least of which is the Corcoran (one of my favorite places to visit when I lived in Washington D.C.) which is currently being sold out to the highest bidder. Top the fact that our funding dollars both at a national level and at an individual level are being shelled out to other agendas with the fact that our disposable income shrinks in what seems to be daily doses. Have you gone grocery shopping lately? It's not quite to the point where I need the wheel barrow full of useless paper money to buy a loaf of bread, but figuratively it seems to be getting quite shockingly similar. The already rich, of course, have hidden their dollars well and lined their mattresses apparently with their gold coin because while the world struggles to get by, art sales at auction are skyrocketing with the prices that pieces are fetching.
All that being said, we at Bohemian Art Cafe have pledged ourselves to our partner in art life, Artify Projects, to assist in a very specific way to bring "more art to more cities and more venues" where the public can experience, view and participate in art. We think this is a highly worthy goal. We personally have taken on the task of trying to crowd source the funding for a new "food trailer" style travel trailer for a mobile art gallery for Artify Projects. Their rather old, rather unsuited traveling art gallery (a very time-worn cargo trailer that will not allow a man over 5'10" to stand comfortably without the fear of whacking his head) has been fine for the needs up until now. However, with the growth of the organization and the expanded number of projects for the year as well as the increase in the number of art show exhibition dates, cities and venues, they really need a traveling art gallery that is more suitable.
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| A worthy goal at any time!http://www.artifyprojects.com |
While Artify Projects will show at venues that are decidedly artful such as community and university art galleries, they also have a goal of making art available to "Every One" (in pre-Politically Correct times that might have been Every Man). That means they need a mobile gallery that can be pulled up into the parking lots of partnering grocery stores, libraries, city park parking lots, restaurants, and pretty much anywhere that people gather so that more they can reach their stated goal of "more projects in the hands of more people, seen in more cities, in more venues, over more dates."
The cost of a brand new, fully loaded "food truck" style trailer can run upwards of $25,000. We know that may not be reasonable or practical at this time. But we also know that a gently-used, in need of a little TLC mobile trailer that requires minor renovations can be had and renovated for about $10,000. In some instances less (do you have a lovely food truck sitting in a garage that you aren't using and want to sell for a song as a patron of the arts?). We have a talented team of individual sponsors who are capable and want to renovate such a gently used trailer. If you have a little disposable income (any amount moves us closer to our goal) then we would be so grateful for your contribution to our crowd sourced funding project. Go to Go Fund Me and donate what you can. For every donor who contributes at least $25, if you want your name included in our Thank You to our Donors panel, it will be. This is one of my personal goals--to assist them in bringing more art to the world.
I know this won't feed any starving children nor give a home to a desperately needy animal, but it will help to stir the imaginations and creative hearts of those whose lives the mobile art gallery touches. Won't you please help me meet my goal at http://www.gofundme.com/6pn6rg ?
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| Concept for "food truck" style mobile art gallery, including Thank You Patron panel. Probably something different will be the overall end result of the paint job but similar. |
