As we come out of the pandemic and enter our own Roaring 20s, our own Jazz Age and Age of Modernism, let’s seek inspiration not only from the Harlem Renaissance but from THE Renaissance! During the Renaissance, patrons were considered the driving force behind new works, but patrons don’t have to just be rich, old white dudes.
I am an artivist matchmaker, working to foster interdisciplinary, interactive, devised collaborations that are inventing new art forms, new genres and styles for the 21st century, exploring new ways of experiencing meaningful art as a means for enriching culture, particularly art that is inspiring social, political, and environmental change. And on top of that, I am also working to make funding for arts & culture more sustainable. This includes fostering a community of people right here, from all socio-economic backgrounds, who are invested in the future of arts & culture, particularly in how it impacts society, politics, and the environment; a community of patrons who would be the face of our new works. That means that by becoming a patron here, you are not just supporting me, but teams of people with deep investments in the history of art and the history of humanity. And we don’t expect you to just write us a check and sit in the background until it’s time for the show. Rather, we want you to be a part of our journey, in fact we’d like for you to be on stage introducing our shows, talking to our audiences about our efforts to make art a defining element of society and civilization, like it once was.
All of my patrons and donors are recognized in our projects, such as in our event announcements, film credits, stage play programs, everything.
I don’t have any strict expectations about how to be a patron. If you’re interested, I’d love to have an in-person or virtual coffee date to chat with you. If you’re eager to talk prices, we can simply start with what you are able to give, even if it’s just $1 a month, or my immediate needs, like “sponsoring” one of our performers or “commissioning” a prop. But I definitely want to focus on what YOU are looking to get out of the experience, such as to observe behind-the-scenes or maybe even to collaborate with us!
Most people who are familiar with Patreon or crowdfunding understand that there are “perks” to donating, but to me this feels more transactional in a capitalistic mindset whereas I want to build a relationship with patrons of the arts.
That being said, here are some things I have done for patrons in the past:
- free and/or discounted access to all my publications and events
- unique, often handmade free merch
- I also would like to note that I am always supporting my patrons in their own endeavors, such as giving a free performance at someone’s virtual fundraiser or even simply promoting their efforts on social media. I’m always happy to discuss how I can be of creative service to my patrons’ projects.
To give you an idea of expenses, what your money is working towards…
- Most productions that I lead have a budget of anywhere between: $1,000-$15,000 depending on how much we are able to raise beforehand and how much we profited from previous productions.
- Of our productions, artists’ fees are usually about minimum wage, but we always try to increase our budget a little for this, especially for those artists who are paying off crippling student loans or debt from equipment.
- I would like to mention that it is CRITICAL that the teams I am leading are doing things as green as possible, such as repurposing “trash” and collecting “left-over” art supplies from our local communities, such as working with organizations like Austin Creative Reuse. That being said, we keep our materials and supplies costs as low as possible.
Be the driving force behind and IN FRONT of 21st Century experimental art.
Thank you for your consideration.
Humbly Yours,
Dannie Snyder
