About this project
Press Street’s 24-hour Draw-a-thon is the only event of its kind in the city of New Orleans. It is an art experience in which people are active participants-- not spectators; where the entire premise is to encourage creating for the sake of creating. It is an all-ages, free event that is open to the public with all art materials provided.
Draw-a-thon began in 2006, and since that time has been hosted at the Green Project. But with the amazing expansion that the Green Project has seen over the past year, there is just not enough room for all the Draw-A-Thon drawers (because the Green Project is packed full of drawers - get it?!) So for the first time Draw-a-thon will be held in a new location- the Old Ironworks on Piety Street on November 12, 2011.
Draw-a-thon is a costly venture! A new location means new walls to build, running temporary lighting, and running heaters that keep those drawing fingers nimble - not to mention all of the supplies: pencils, pens, paint, paper, scissors, glue, and drawing pads that are all provided for free to the community. With these tight times we've seen our typical sources of funding sliced in half this year! Rather than scaling back and simply making due, we're asking for your support of any amount so that we can present to you an even bigger and better event in our new home at the Old Ironworks. So please pledge today!
Earlier this year Press Street founder, Anne Gisleson was interviewed by the online Art magazine, Pelican Bomb and had this to say about the beginnings of Draw-A-Thon :
AG: We had no idea, absolutely no idea what to expect. We just wanted to get people together and start drawing.
PB: As an outlet?
AG:
As a lot of things…there were many philosophical underpinnings to that
first Draw-a-thon in 2006, like how drawing helps you connect to the
world around you. We thought about the line and connecting and seeing
and the physical act of doing it—a way to connect to other people and
to help you connect to things happening. That theme of connection is at
the heart of everything we do as an organization.
It started off
as Brad Benishek’s fun idea to have a 24-hour marathon of continuous activity
with free drawing workshops. We covered the walls of an old warehouse
by the railroad tracks with paper, so people could write on them. We
didn’t know if it was going to be 25 or 250 people, and the first
people who showed up were the National Guard. It was around 6 am, and I
don’t know what they came for initially but within minutes they were
drawing.
PB: That’s an important image.
AG: It is, because at the time the city still felt embattled. We still had
Humvees driving around our neighborhood downtown. When these guys came
in with their guns and started drawing, we knew we were onto something.
Then families came and, in the middle of the night, you get all kinds
of people coming! One of the reasons we consider it our most important
event—the most successful thing that we do in terms of community
building—is because it brings people in from all over. I think art has
the capacity to facilitate dialogue if it’s done right—if it’s done
thoughtfully.
The Draw-A-Thon is only made possible with your generous support and contributions from:
FAQ
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on November 12, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
You will receive a ticket by email to redeem for an authentic Draw-a-thon pencil that was used to create drawings at Draw-a-thon 2011. Bring your ticket to Antenna Gallery to pick up your pencil.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
One hundred percent authentic Draw-A-Tron 3000 drawing, stamped with the Draw-A-Tron seal of approval and quality. The Draw-A-Tron is a highly advanced, specially designed machine that creates whatever drawings users desire.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Your address will be included on an Antenna Whimsey Post Postcard, drawn at Draw-a-thon 2011. You will receive your Whimsey Post Postcard in the mail!
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
You will receive an Emergency Drawing Kit prepared by Nurse Angela Driscoll, and a Draw-a-thon 2011 Micro-Comic by Caesar Meadows.
Pledge $30 or more Pledge $30 or more
Draw-a-thon 2011 t-shirt, drawn by Amanda Cassingham. You can pick up your t-shirt at Draw-a-thon if you back this project before November 5, 2011.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
You will receive the Draw-a-thon pencil, Draw-a-Tron 3000 drawing, a Whimsey Post Postcard, Micro-Comic and t-shirt! Back this project before November 5th in order to pick up your t-shirt at Draw-a-thon.
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
You will receive all of the prizes from the $50 level, plus a lagniappe Press-Street publication or piece of memorabilia (chosen at random,) PLUS, a once in a lifetime chance to be a Draw-a-Tron 3000 technician for one hour! You must back this project before November 5th in order to sign up as a Draw-a-Tron technician and receive a Draw-a-Thon t-shirt the day of.
Pledge $350 or more Pledge $350 or more
In addition to a Draw-a-thon 2011 t-shirt, you will receive a package stuffed with the following publications sold by Press Street: 'Revacuation' (book and sticker) by Brad Benischek; 'Green Zone New Orleans,' by Mark Yachich; 'How to Rebuild a City' edited by Anne Gisleson and Tristan Thomson with design and artistic direction by Catherine Burke; 'Intersection' featuring 25 artists and 25 writers from New Orleans; 'Curtain Optional,' by Brad and Jim Richard; 'Hi-8' and 'No Place Like Home' by Courtney Fathom Sell. Some of these publications are available in limited quantities, so back this project before they run out!
Pledge $450 or more Pledge $450 or more
You will receive the prize for the $350 level, in addition, an original drawing by Caesar Meadows of one of the 16 panels of the Official Draw-a-thon 2011 Micro-Comic.
Project By
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Press Street is a New Orleans-based 501c3 literary and visual arts collective formed in 2005 to promote art and literature in the community through events, publications and arts education. Its projects include the gallery space Antenna, the annual 24 hour arts education extravaganza Draw-A-Thon, Room 220 - a blog dedicated to the literary life of New Orleans, and the publication of books which focus on the relationship between the visual and literary arts.
Since 2006, Press Street has produced the event Draw-A-Thon, a round the clock, 24-hour drawing extravaganza where multiple forms of drawing are explored by artists and non-artists alike, last year attracting over 700 attendees. Press Street’s 24 hour Draw-A-Thon is the only event of its kind in the city of New Orleans. It is an art experience in which people are active participants– not spectators; where the premise is to encourage creating for the sake of creating, process over product. It is an all-ages, free event that is open to the public. All art materials are provided. The 24 hours are punctuated by two-hour drawing workshops led by local artists and arts educators, designed to encourage the participant to experience different aspects of the art of drawing. The environment constantly changes because of what is being taught and drawn. In addition to these more structured events, there are on-going activities: the Drawing Room, in which every surface is covered in paper, fun for children of all ages; as well as the Amazing Draw-a-tron 3000 and live figure drawing.
