[matilda] gigspace collective related-proposal

[Helen and Nick]

Can gigs still go ahead - do we need to cancel the
ones coming up. The sooner we know the better, because
I can't shit on people like this by pulling events at
the last minute. This needs to be sorted by the end of
the week so the gig collective can consider whether to
pull the events booked especially for the touring band
in November. People booking this need time to find
another venue in Sheffield or else where in the
country before the band arrive in the country and
before they work their arse off too much. 

This is becoming a nightmare. It is becoming
impossible to do anything in the gig space, which is
sad after all the effort we have put into to
encouraging people down to use the space. So much of
buzz is beginning to appear about this space from
bands and DIY gig promotors - we are inundated by
offers of help to get the stage built and kick ass gig
space off the ground akin to the rad ones in europe.

But how can we let our gig space flourish when pubs
offer a free space, the autonomy of gig collectives to
price (a donation in matilda speak) their event
accordingly (there are long held principles in each
scene about what is a fair price) and pay the bands
fairly - to cover costs, perhaps make a bit extra for
their effort. bands earning money from performing to
people at a grassroots price, is not a dirty thing in
the punk world - what is, is the promoter or venue
taking all the money off the back of performers -
unless it is specifically a benefit. But to be honest
anybody making any kind of pocket money off a punk gig
over time is rare - most bands are always out of
pocket on costs.

It doesn't take 14 people to manage a gig at the 1in
12 club, just someone to have the keys and oversee the
event.

Those who dont want to go to the gig or are working it
don't have to pay in - perhaps have the pay in table
near the gig space, so people can still come down for
a drink when matilda is open, but not pay to see the
bands - again like the 1 in 12 club.
 
We may not have the space for long, so why not use
trust as a guiding principle and see what actually
comes of this and review in 6 months if we are still
going. If trust works out as a fair price paid by
people who want to attend an event, and come away
having a good time, and bands cover costs and enough
for a treat - then that is not too bad and will save
us from this micro management nightmare. If it looks
like people are taking the piss, then we will review
it. But lets get started first please? 

All the same arguments apply to selling artwork made
at matilda. But again why not trust people and lets
see what happens rather than closing down this
opportunity for artists before they start. I am not
overly stressed by people getting a few quid in their
pocket to pay bills, avoid work, have a good night out
when there is so much more to be angry about. It's a
grey area, but lets at least burn brightly in a hive
or creative activity that may be imperfect before we
burn out with nothing achieved but a management
quagmire.
  
Running out of ethusiasm

Helene
--- gavin at cyber-rights.net wrote:

> Just doing a heads up on this for the gig
> collective. Cuthbert's 
> proposal:
> 
> Therefore i propose that the matilda collective
> _must_ know the 
> full costs of any artist performing before they use
> the space _and_ 
> any money raised above the costs are given to a
> pre-agreed good 
> cause (e.g. the matilda collective).
> 
> Is, I believe, going to be very difficult to put
> into practice. It 
> also sounds like we don't trust people to put on DIY
> gigs, and is 
> kind of interfering rather than cooperative. Taking
> everything in 
> this kind of detail through the monday meeting will
> make things 
> very unwieldy. There has to be a certain amount of
> trust in the 
> decisions of each collective for a space like this
> to work.
> 
> And, as for your other points...
> 
> I wasn't asking for a personal justification as to
> why you or 
> anyone else didn't come. I'm not interested in
> personalising this - 
> that's missing the point. I'm simply proposing that,
> at a practical 
> level, if we want to do the things people are asking
> of us in 
> regards to being self-sufficient, we'll need to
> enlarge the number 
> of required matilda people who say they WILL be
> there in order to 
> successfully facilitate any gig or party. And,
> obviously, that 
> needn't include you if you're not interested in the
> event.
> 
> >Also the only reason that there was an objection to
> the 
> >ticket
> >pricing was because after the no boarders party
> someone said that 
> >they
> >didnt think it was right for someone to have to pay
> to come into 
> >matilda,
> >I beleive they brought it up at a monday meeting.
> 
> No, it was brought up on the email list, by a few
> people. 
> Otherwise, as I wasn't at the Monday meeting, I
> would have, happy 
> in my ignorance, just helped put the event on as it
> was.
> 
> You can read my last email on why it's not
> practically possible, or 
> even desirable, to do only free events.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Get your free encrypted email at
> http://www.cyber-rights.net
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> matilda at lists.aktivix.org
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> 


	
	
		
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