5 years ago I gathered a couple of friends at my loft to brainstorm and exchange ideas...and The Collaboration Project was born.
5 years ago, searching for new creative outlets, I gathered a couple of friends at my loft to brainstorm and exchange ideas and inspiration...and the Collaboration Project was born.
(PLEASE NOTE: I am so overwhelmed by so many people's generosity and the work they have put into this, I am modifying the rewards slightly...everyone gets double the number of Collab passes mentioned in their reward, and for anyone who donates $100 and up, I figure you are showing such a personal commitment to making Collab a continued success, I'll just give you a lifetime pass.)
What began as a casual gathering of a few friends at my loft in The Brewery Arts Colony near Downtown Los Angeles has grown into a monthly gathering of artists, tech people, entrepreneurs, film makers, designers, promoters, performers, writers, and everything in between. An art salon, a creative incubator, a place to network, and a place to make friends.
When we had 10 or 15 people coming by once a month it was easy to handle. I didn't mind covering the costs of the events out of my own pocket.
But word spread. The event grew. Now Collab regularly attracts 100 guests. And every month I spend about $150-200 of my own money to make it happen. Add in 15-20 hours of time per month that, as a freelance artist, means less income. $200 and 20 hours per month might not sound like much to some of you, but month after month, year after year it has added up.
And with more and more people comes more facility needs. More chairs and tables. A better information/gig exchange system. An improved website. A screening room sound system upgrade. More space.I keep funding it from my own pocket, but I've realized I just can't do it anymore.
So sadly, I can no longer subsidize Collab every month. I wish I could. I wish some well off benefactor would come along and make a generous grant. I wish I'd win the lottery, then I could pay for you all to Collab for years to come.
Instead, I am going to leave Collab in the hands of the guests and fans.
$7500??? Are you going on a European vacation with that?
Here is where $7500 will go to:
Screening/presentation room upgrades (seating, audio, video) $2200 The screening/presentation room is a key part of every Collab, and the current set-up has long since had its capacity exceeded. Sure, the current set-up works fine for me to sit on the couch and watch a DVD (what I installed it to do pre-Collab), but when you try to squeeze 50+ jostling people in there? Completely inadequate.
Website: $500 - We have some awesome ideas/plans to upgrade the site and better integrate it into Collab. Though we can get a lot of very cheap/free help through the Collab network, there are still costs.
Improved name badge system: $200 I'm very excited to introduce our new name badge system, which will make it wonderfully easy for people to meet the people they need to meet at Collab.
Awesome new electronic gig/information exchange system: $500 Another exciting addition, this will make it far easier to locate gigs, identify potential collaborators, and even let the world outside the Collab loft know what you're up to!
Improved patio facilities: $500 100 people per month milling around on my poorly constructed deck? Needless to say, this was also something constructed for me and a few people to stand on while we BBQ, it was never intended to support so many and the wear is showing badly.
Next 2 years of monthly Collab bills: $3600 -this includes all the monthly food/beverage/facilities maintenance expenses, a dedicated set-up person to take some of the time burden off of my shoulders, website hosting, cleaning expenses, etc.)
I paid in $10,000 or so from my pocket to make Collab function for the past 5 years. Now I'm hoping you can all chip in to keep it going for another 5. The greater Collab community numbers in the 1000's. If half of you donated $5, we'd make it. It even a quarter of you donated $10, we'd make it. And I know many of you can afford $25. That is the cost of one meal out. One less meal out means many more years of Collab. So now is the time to step up and support something that has benefited you and the LA creative community for so long.
What happens if you exceed $7500? I go to Europe! Ok, no, just kidding. If we somehow exceed our goals, we have some really awesome and exciting additions to make to Collab, including a VC program to help fund our favorite Collab projects. We also have some additional perks to roll out for those who helped make it happen by donating here on Kickstarter.
How do I donate via Kickstarter?Kickstarter is the largest fundraising platform in the world for creative projects. You can donate a little or a lot. But we will get ZERO unless we reach our goal of $7500. Even if you're broke, a few bucks from a whole lot of people will really help us out. It is super easy to donate!
Thank you for your support,
Kevin Flint
Please, tell your friends, spread the word, together we can make another 5 great years of Collab!
This is what our friends at IntrepidLA have to say about Collab:
http://www.intrepidla.com/intrepidla/2011/3/7/a-21st-century-artists-salon.html
FAQ
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Here is where $7500 will go to:
Screening/presentation room upgrades (seating, audio, video) $2200
Website: $500
Improved name badge system: $200
Awesome new electronic gig/information exchange system: $500
Improved patio facilities: $500
Next 2 years of monthly Collab bills: $3600
And if we exceed our funding goals, we have some great plans to make Collab even bigger and better for all of you!
69
Backers
$7,730
pledged of $7,500 goal
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Funding period
Jun 26, 2011 -
Jul 31, 2011
(35 days)
- First created · 12 backed
- Kevin Flint 1038 friends
- Website: collabproject.org
Pledge $1 or more
1 backer
Every little bit adds up, you get our gratitude for helping keep Collab going! Thanks!
Pledge $10 or more
15 backers
Collab member...One free Collab pass, good in lieu of donation for any Tuesday night Collab...includes all the pizza and beverages you can consume!
Pledge $25 or more
16 backers
Super Collaber...(the previous $25 had an error, but it won't let me erase/edit, so this is the correct one. anyone who already donated $25 gets this super better package.) THREE free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, and a pack of awesome stickers!
Pledge $25 or more
1 backer
Super Collaber...Two free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, and a pack of awesome stickers!
Pledge $45 or more
1 backer
JUNIOR CHRISKWANZAKKAH.....Two free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, plus 1 PASS to this year's Chriskwanzakkah (www.chriskwanzakkah.com) Party! You know you're going to Chriskwanzakkah anyways, so why not get your passes now and help Collab while you're at it!
Pledge $50 or more
1 backer
TUMBLR special reward!...For all the Dystopian Studios Tumblr fans, this one is for you. A customized photo shoot just for you! You get to be the producer of a shoot. You get to help choose a model. You get to choose a theme. We shoot the shoot, and we'll take a set of photos JUST FOR YOU! We will customize those photos to your choosing (ie, model writing your name on a sign, spelling out your name like the YMCA, or maybe some sort of background item of your specification.) High-res copies of your photos will be sent to you, and you only, and the original copies will be deleted from our computers. You will have the only copies, and you can print them, post them, or do whatever you'd like. This is a one of a kind item that will be yours alone, and it will help keep an awesome institution going!
Pledge $50 or more
2 backers
Awesome Collaber...Five free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, and a pack of awesome stickers!
Pledge $60 or more
0 backers Limited (10 of 10 left)
MAKE MY PHOTOS POP!!!!!!.....Three free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, plus 2 hours of professional photo editing to make your photos look like a pro! Salvage priceless snap shots, make your headshots shine, or replace the family dog with a unicorn in your Sears portraits!
Pledge $70 or more
1 backer
CHRISKWANZAKKAH BABY!....Three free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame, plus 2 PASSES to this year's Chriskwanzakkah (www.chriskwanzakkah.com) Party! You know you're going to Chriskwanzakkah anyways, so why not get your passes now and help Collab while you're at it!
Pledge $75 or more
1 backer Limited (2 of 3 left)
WRITE MY WRONGS!....5 free Collab passes, a Collab website mention +++PLUS+++ a free copy editing session! Get that script, book, bio, presentation, or whatever else polished professionally by an expert! Avery Auer will put her 21 years of experience to work and help your writing go from sloppy to super! Trust me, you aren't nearly as careful a writer as you think, and she'll separate your written word from the rest of the pack! Good for 3 hours of professional editing services.
Pledge $75 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
PRIVATE TOUR FOR ME? YAYYY!!!!......3 free Collab passes, a website mention +++PLUS+++ one private LA ARTTOURS.com Brewery tour for you and your friends (up to 16 guests!) You can book the tour for any Sunday-Thursday in 2011. You'll get a private guided tour of the Brewery grounds and a chance to walk through the lofts and interact personally with 10 of the Brewery's awesomest artists!
Pledge $100 or more
5 backers
SuperDuper Collaber...TEN free Collab passes, stickers, Hall of Fame, a website mention, A publicity link for your own events or project, and a free one of my sort of famous, limited edition "flicking finger" prints ($50 value.)
Pledge $100 or more
1 backer
TUMBLR super size special reward!...If you are in the LA area, we'll let you come to the set and be an assistant on the shoot! For all the Dystopian Studios Tumblr fans, this one is for you. A customized photo shoot just for you! You get to be the producer of a shoot. You get to help choose a model. You get to choose a theme. We shoot the shoot, and we'll take a set of photos JUST FOR YOU! We will customize those photos to your choosing (ie, model writing your name on a sign, spelling out your name like the YMCA, or maybe some sort of background item of your specification.) High-res copies of your photos will be sent to you, and you only, and the original copies will be deleted from our computers. You will have the only copies, and you can print them, post them, or do whatever you'd like. This is a one of a kind item that will be yours alone, and it will help keep an awesome institution going!
Pledge $150 or more
3 backers Limited (2 of 5 left)
I WANT PHOTOS!...5 free Collab passes, a website mention +++PLUS+++ a private, awesome, super duper photo shoot of your choosing courtesy of Dystopian Studios. All photo rights will belong to you, will not be published anywhere. This can be a headshot shoot, a pin-up shoot, an awesome post-apocalypse shoot, a boudoir shoot, whatever you'd like, Dystopian Studios will make it happen in their well-equipped downtown studios.
Pledge $150 or more
0 backers Limited (3 of 3 left)
MY WEBSITE NEEDS HELP!....5 free Collab passes, a Collab website mention +++PLUS+++ a consultation with Jonathan Kramm, website and creative professional extraordinaire! He will help you with design, concept, platforms, SEO, or whatever else you may need to have the sharpest website around.
Pledge $150 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
I WANT TO FILM/SHOOT!!!....THREE free Collab passes, a mention in the Collab Hall of Fame +++PLUS+++ 8 hours of Dystopian Studios rental time for photo/film projects of your choice. You get the full run of the place. And if that isn't enough time...Additional hours can be purchased at a special rate of $10/hour!
Pledge $150 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
I'M GOING TO BE A DANCING QUEEN! ....5 free Collab passes, a website mention +++PLUS+++ free burlesque classes with the BRAZEN BOOTIES BURLESQUE TROOP! Learn how to pick a theme with their creative crew, learn how to costume, learn how to dance with their award winning choreographer, and practice with the girls at their huge downtown LA practice studio! Awesome for the aspiring burlesque star or the person who just wants to have fun!
Pledge $150 or more
1 backer Limited (3 of 4 left)
TEACH ME TO SHOOT!....5 free Collab passes, a website mention +++PLUS+++ you get to learn to shoot. Your choice, CAMERAS OR GUNS! If you choose cameras, you get to pick the type of shooting you want to learn (studio, nature, event) and 2 professional photographers will show you the quick and easy ways to move from rookie to accomplished amateur or from accomplished amateur to the semi-pros! Either on location or in studio, you'll learn the best work flow, from conception to final print. If you always wanted to learn to shoot a firearm, but were scared to try, you get the expert tutelage of the US Marine Corps to show you how! Pistol, shotgun, rifle, your 2 Marine experts will turn you into certifiable shooting machine. In both cases, gun or camera, we will provide all equipment needed for your instructions!
Pledge $250 or more
1 backer
Collab VIP...Lifetime pass to regular Collab events, 2 passes to special events, stickers, a free print, Hall of Fame, a website mention, and a free round of Collab publicity for any event, cause, or project you'd like our help promoting!
Pledge $300 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
TABLEAU VIVANT ME BABY.....TEN free Collab passes, stickers, Collab Hall of Fame, a website mention +++PLUS+++ your very own Bare-Tableau Vivant Redux event! BareTVR.com will provide the venue (or come to your own place,) the live art models, additional staff, a theme (or work with one of your choosing,) so you can be the coolest host in town with your own Bare-TVR party with up to 20 guests! Food (if desired) and beverage will be added at cost or you can provide your own.
Pledge $400 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
MAKE ME AN ART STAR!....5 free Collab passes, a website mention +++PLUS+++ your own personal show at the next Brewery Artwalk! That includes the entry fee, mention on all Brewery Artwalk publicity, and free rental of a whole lot of hanging space in an awesome loft for your beautiful works. Show your styling paintings, drawing, couture, whatever to 15,000 of your SoCal neighbors! You will also be provided with free tips on how to better hang your art, display your work, and market to others. We'll even give you expert tips on how to properly approach galleries and secure more shows!
Pledge $750 or more
0 backers
Legendary Collaber...Lifetime pass to regular Collab events, 4 passes to special events, stickers, Hall of Fame, a website mention, a huge amount of free publicity for any event, cause, or project you'd like our help promoting plus a Kevin Flint original piece of art (I'll pick one of my $750+ range sculptures straight out of the gallery for you) Yayy!!!
Pledge $950 or more
1 backer Limited (2 of 3 left)
THROW ME A BIG OL' PARRRRTY!....Lifetime pass to regular Collab events, Collab Hall of Fame, a website mention, +++PLUS+++ Dystopian Studios events will throw you one awesome party! Birthday, holiday, film release, wacky evening, whatever. You will get full use of the studios (maximum capacity 200 people,) a lot of publicity and all of the support staff (bartenders, security, door) that come with it. You can charge admission to the party if you'd like, or just throw a free event. You are responsible for booze and additional decor! If you were thinking of booking the studios for a party, then you know we charge well over $1000, so this is an awesome deal!
Pledge $1,000 or more
3 backers
Board of Directors...Everything a Legendary Collaber gets EXCEPT YOUR ARTWORK will be customized just for YOU, plus your own personal chair at Collab with your name on it, your own Collab business cards, publicity for multiple events and projects, and a VIP name tag to where at all future Collab events.
