SOS Open Meeting
December 19, 2007, 7pm, Somerville Central Library, 9 people in attendance
Agenda Review
* Background
* Brainstorming
* Poker game
Opening & introductions
* Nick: This is your event. The board will approve the budget we propose - but really it is yours to determine.
* Introductions
* Question about trolley routes
* Mara reminded us of pre-publicity and her willingness to be part of that effort
* Dave suggested talking about the 2-weekend option (and is opposed to that)
Budget Background
* Context & last year’s budget
o The top expenses are not part of the event. It is money that passed through. There are operational expenses of about $750 that is to cover the website, postage, a PO box, etc.
o It seems we lost money last year.
o Last year we paid a coordinator; this year we aren’t. We are trying to spread the load and make it a primarily run volunteer effort.
o Some pieces we will pay money for, which we have agreed upon at previous meetings. We will fund the map design and website, and we will pay a 10% commission for the person who raises money from ad sales / sponsorship.
o We will have one weekend and membership rates the same, because we have started late and don’t have time to reevaluate that now.
o Last year’s membership income will probably be consistent.
o We hope the sponsor income will also be consistent, though is a variable.
o We hope to have Mary Curtin involved again on the PR front, as a paid position.
o We’re going to skip the postcard, do the map and maybe a print poster.
o The trolley was donated by the city, after Mary built a relationship with the Mayor’s office starting around Thanksgiving 2006. Last year two trolleys cost about $100/hr/trolley.
Budget Brainstorming
This phase of the meeting consisted of throwing out possible things we might or might not want to do. Once that was complete, people ranked the importance of each item and that ranking was used to set our budget priorities.
Trolley
* Was it enough to have it make sense? Either have more or don’t do it.
* It’s about an hour route.
* We covered most of the city but not East Somerville, which we should do
* We had done it in the pas, but not recently, and Mary revived it as part of the Green Line theme and to bring in more performance art.
* It’s a decision to make as to how much work it is for the value.
* The trolleys were fun and people were excited about it.
* We should advertise them more.
* They need a lot of advertising. If we do it we need to think through routes, have them smaller and more frequent - just really do it right.
* If we can’t have 4 trolleys we shouldn’t do any at all.
* It makes it festive.
Theme
o Celebrating Somerville
Construction
* Not on budget form last year (was ~$500)
* For new signs and sign repair
Transportation
* Bike rentals?
* Bike route could be on map
* Could be as in kind donation form UrbanAdventure.com? Someone lined up with insurance and bikes, who could set up on the bike path or nearby, to rent
* Tours could be themed by medium, buildings, etc.
* Might need to consider additional bike racks from the city
Survey
* Have on hand in studios to gather info about visiting public
Promotion
* Banners
o Street light banners
o Banner in past have lasted a few years or been date-specific
o Series of small banner with brand for SOS, like the sign hands
* WBUR underwriting
o Some years noticed, some not - worth looking into
o About $2-3,000
o Ads on websites in addition to on air
* T ads
* Cost benefit, we don’t know
* Map
o 20,000 last year and we started late
o More a follow up to advertising
* Poster
o Can have it’s own sponsorship, and be revenue neutral
* Guerilla Advertising
o A canvas 8.5x11 design saying “it’s coming” something that can be done in house and attached to fences…
o Post event we need to be responsible to take down
o Expensive it torn down, worth it if not
o Stickers are fined
o City has rules that need to be adhered to
o Printing in quantity is now cheaper than in house
o Offer Skul in week before to go around Cambridge and advertise
o Make a float?
o Bike parade around a route?
o Print flags for bikes
* Coffee sleeves, napkins
* SOS coffee flavor of the month
* Targeted web banner ads
o Are quantifiable, because people click on them
* Location
o Somerville knows - we need to put more energy into markets outside this city, to reach art collectors, gallery owners, etc.
* Timing
o The quicker it’s done outside Somerville, the sooner people can do planning now with so many competing events
* Bringing in people from other communities
* In one of our community spaces, there are artists form other communities. That will draw in people from other places and help co-market.
* T-shirts
o For sale and to celebrate the arts
o Would need a compelling design
o Obstacle in past has been where to sell and when and how. Could sell through website, on trolley
* Dog tags
* Banners
o Printed for each location “SOS Open Here”
o Helps with circulation > promotion
Public Relations
* Hire Mary
* More maps? Last year 20,000. What percentage really got picked up? Timing of when they go out is important. It’s now an expensive map to print. We used to give out liberally (100 to each artist.) Now the expense per item raises questions: indiscriminately spread around, more difficult to mail, work only in stands…
* A poster, folder could serve the purpose of the old map in terms of mailing.
Scholarship
* Something to
* A percentage of in take? 5% of membership fee to a
* Could help student and community groups
* Could be raised for the following year, so we know what is in the budget at the onset of each year.
* How would people apply for it?
* Artists will have a chance to think and plan if they know they can apply for some amount of funding
Events
* Host one on Fri before
* No man power for that
* At Somerville theater with local film makers
Armory
* Consider as space and partnership
* Rent space on ongoing basis? SOS has been approached. If we were to rent a space, we’d need to support it in another way than through event/membership revenue.
Storage
* Last year secured storage from the Arts Council - so no longer an issue
Art Parade
* Circus marching band to start at 11am in Davis and then fan out
* Maps could be handed out
Big Maps
* BIG ones, 12x8 feet with city chalked out at every location and thumbnail pictures
Locations
* Supporting the smaller houses
* Maps near the studio buildings
* Variety of production levels
Membership
* What can be provided year round
* Monthly updating/maintenance of website
* Featured artists on web?
* Workshops: art reproduction, pricing, galleries, juried shows, grant writing, etc where we might pay honorariums to guest speakers - aim for 4-5 throughout the year. Open to public for fee, with discount for members?
Book
* Print on demand, through something like Blurb
* Could be sold on web
* Cost would be design
* Artists could buy to resell in studio
* Becomes an artist’s directory
* Discount to SOS by cross-advertising?
Broaden the Population
* Advertising in bilingual publications (translation, additional ad design)
Mailing
* Collecting mailing lists - SOS maintaining a list
* People could opt in
* The org can mail out more cheaply because of non-profit status.
* We could mail maps for 12¢ each
* Go to low quality paper and full color printing? Allow for thumbnails.
Membership
* Year round studio tour book, with contact info, so people could call artists and make appointments to see studios year round, for conference centers
* Differentiate from other open studios by partnering
* Be the place the public comes to find source for all open studios
* Offer publicity to other open studios in whole region - also other visual arts events?
* At very least, list somewhere on our site
Community Spaces
* Contact people who coordinated last year
* Prize/enticement to attract people to community spaces