The Eternal Art Org Pessimist
Out of morbid curiosity I may be attending a free seminar at Cleveland Public Library this part of the The Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute series they normally charge for -- just to lay into them with questions. Because hell, what artist do you know has as spare $150 laying around to be told how to make more money off art? I mean really, these are two non-profits orgs that are charging artists in a economically challenged city for info they can get at the library for free. If you are going to operate as a capitalist enterprise, just do that and say so. The fact that websites that sell advertising can gets grants is beyond me! But oh wait, being a 501c safe guards you against failure in case your lack of business savvy screws you in the end.
I like how all these organizations always have seminars and info meetings on weekdays during business hours too; like no one has to work between 9am-5pm? A friend pointed out to me that this is done on purpose so only certain people who are able to show up get the info and the grants. But hey, because they are "helping artists and contributing to culture" the Ohio Arts Council will bank roll them for another year to stay in business. As you can tell, I'm really wary of non-profit organizations that focus on the arts unless a solid education program is put in place. I have been part of three in the last 4 years, and I bowed out of them, mostly because they didn't do anything and they only seemed to hold meetings -- again weekdays before 5pm -- when I had to be at my JOB. Overall they were just very inconsistent. Sometimes I think I should start one because that's how people seem to pocket the most money! We should have just made the record label a non-profit, you know, contributing to culture and all.
Which leads me up to saying, guess what: I was offered a little job! I can't say yet as it is being put into place, but the timing was just right, and they were simply appalled I didn't get the summer teaching job. Besides the administrative work I get to hang out with a bunch of girls, design products and illustrate stuff, and sell cool things too. They give classes and contribute to culture as well; thankfully they are a real for-profit business who knows what they're doing!
