Seattle’s pretty full of art programs. While I’d certainly like to see more – if you feel left out you need to get on a bus and get moving. It’s not like these programs are going to come to your house and paint the picture for you! Wait – there’s an idea, an on-call mobile art machine.
Want to buy some art therapy for your grandma? Great, we’ll be there. Want us to teach your kids? We can do that. Want us at your event? No problem. Want to buy someone some art lessons? Perfect, we teach those! Too lazy to leave the house? Cool, we don’t judge. And when we’re not on a call, we’ll be parked right along the food trucks. But instead of unhealthy fatty food repackaged as “haute-cuisine” we’ll be bringing art to the suits trapped in their offices all day…only when they’re un-handcuffed from their desks, of course. And when the stiffs have fled to the suburbs for the evening or weekend we'll be set up at the parks bring art to THE PEOPLE!
This may in fact be the underserved demographic of Seattle. The working person. They may have money, they may have an education, but they don’t have the time. And if they do have the time they don’t have the energy or desire. Or they sacrifice for their kids. Well, maybe a little lunchtime art can ease their burden.
Don’t want to paint? Fine just stand there and listen to our live music by our talented bruskers.
First off, I don’t think this type of endeavor is sustainable on its own. To be successful over a long period of time the Mobile Art Revival Vehicle – MARV would have to be partnered with a local museum or art store. MARV’s primary mission would be to bring a mobile art service throughout the city but its secondary function would be as a marketing opportunity for the parent entity. And, fundamentally, I’d have to kick in some of my own coin – have some skin in the game. If you don’t donate money to organizations yourself, then stop fundraising and go join an industry you’re willing to participate in.
But for its kickoff I could see the following fundraising events occurring:
Crowd funding – through Kickstarter or another website. This would feature different levels of rewards. From maybe from a t-shirt at the low end up through mobile art lessons and being one of the first with MARV at your event.
Blogging - You’ve got 3 kinds of donors – the True Believer, The Casual Fan, and The Reluctant Tagalongs. Your blog is your gift of (inside) information to them, as well as to yourself. It’s a platform to connect, to earn trust, and for even the most reluctant of supporters to discover just how much they want to be a part of your community. MARV could constantly upload work that has been done at the vehicle and at various locations. Live feeds and such. People love to be connect to something.
Corporate Involvement – Challenge design firms to invite MARV to their offices and participate – create something, make something and donate something, then at the “party” (see below) auction off the work from the design firms. And obviously, invite all those folks to attend (and donate more).
Annual Gala – The problem with this is that Seattle is absolutely saturated with them. And I think MARV is more low-key than this. So maybe a small party at a central park may suffice.
Add Coffee - People here are absolutely nuts for coffee, so have some for them to buy.
As for a guiding fundraising strategy I would go with the constant contact method. Getting on every mailing list possible – there are many “what’s happening” types of list servs in Seattle. Get some press, call the news, drive MARV in parades, get out there and be seen and stay in public view. And best part of these is that they are low opportunity costs.
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