Before I go into how I would move to New Orleans if there weren’t hurricanes and scary venomous things, I’m gonna post on ACAC. ACAC is short for Arkansas Community Arts Cooperative. The basic structure is that members buy into the cooperative ($20/yr) and receive access to other artists, to performance spaces, to gallery space and to an org who can publicize their work. I interviewed them mostly because I was interested in the issue of access to arts materials for poor artists and the idea of having engaged community involvement in the arts.
What I learned regarding these two points wasn’t necessarily interesting; ACAC lends tools to members who don’t have money upfront to afford certain expensive materials, and their engaged community thus far has mostly been their own paying members. What I found interesting in talking to this organization was board interactions and its decision-making processes, risk taking in trying to build a larger funding base, and how to convince people to take ownership of a collective.
Taking ownership in a collective is something that Maura and I have talked a lot about, but this organization was no further along in answering this question than we ever were in our conversations. Does a project have to start off as a collective, with a collective spirit, to be successful? Or can this collective spirit develop over time? The ACAC’s position is a little different given its non-profit structure with a board. That automatically makes a top-down triangle structure of leadership. What’s going on at my house is much more organic, but also in some ways much more intentional. It seems that in the present day, people are quick to write a check, but are less willing to become involved…luckily, I think Maura has been successful in inviting the right people in to learn baking and to take a more active role in contributing to the collective…but how does one nurture those few who could be the core, the solid base of something great? Encouragement only goes so far...
My thoughts are that there must continue to be a fun, light-hearted and creative atmosphere for people to want to stay involved in collectives of any kind. For me, that means most importantly that the solid core of the collective must be happy and healthy and not burnt out…no one wants to be involved if an environment is stressful and the people are strung out…
The second point I’m wanting to think more about in starting and running organizations is risk taking. For example, ACAC is taking a big risk in the coming months moving from an affordable space into one where they will have to find ways of generating more revenue in order to afford it. How much risk is too much, and how much is just enough? Can I learn to be a better risk taker? I like everything to be under control and often it is hard to let go…is this just something you learn to do if you’re interesting in starting your own venture? What the person from the organization said about this risk was two things: first, it is a calculated risk. Based on what they have in the bank and what he thinks they can fundraise, he thinks it is worth it. Secondly, he has adopted the opinion…if taking this risk does not work out and ends in the closing of the organization, then maybe they weren’t meant to stick around anyway. It’s sort of like the attitude that I encountered both at Against the Grain and CreateHere…the org will continue to exist if there is a need, but if things don’t work out we shouldn’t dwell on it and we should be off to the next thing! Wow, I should just let go and really try to adopt this attitude…
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