7/12 Notes

Written By culture/Math

Operations and Research

Meg and Mike talked about moving towards a new more focused mission 

Mission Adjustment for culture/MATH: In the interest of streamlining culture/MATH and further developing resources to continue operating, focusing exclusively on The Visualist project while evolving it further could be useful. While not expressed during the meeting, Meg and Michael believe that we could line operating projects and procedures along the following, rough organizational lines, The Calendar, Publications, Archiving.

The Visualist Operations

We looked at the research and data entry tasks

The current research process is as follows:

  • Volunteers can use the venue list to capture events, putting them into the spreadsheet (note: there should always be a double-check that events within 1–2 weeks of the research are not already on the site).

  • Once this research is done, the spreadsheet can be sorted to show the closest event first.

  • Events can be put directly into our site via https://thevisualist.org/submit/.

Marketing the Site to More People

Our double-sided flyer has been Risographed–one side focused on finding events and the other on submitting events. 

They were distributed and there will be more at our next meeting

New Language for the Visualist

  • We walked through the draft Vesna and her partner created for our about page . While agreeing that it was sound, some revisions for language were agreed on. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ks3jRgB0ksbdsd4PIf7GB7EwQKzKyUJt/edit?

  • A second draft will be prepared for our next meeting. 

  • We also need a good text for our support page and Meg and Michael are working on that here Support us

  • We reviewed a PSA text and briefly talked about submitting to WTTW, WFMT, WBEZ, WLPN-LP among others

    • PSA Text: The Visualist is Chicago’s ad-free, egalitarian arts calendar and public archive. Designed as a communal resource to help everyone from enthusiast to culturati. This comprehensive resource relies on Chicago’s art community to thrive; whether you are mapping your next outing or documenting your own artistic endeavors, help us preserve the city's cultural history by submitting your events today. 

    • Nell offered to contact someone at WBEZ on our behalf

    • Michael will share follow up at the next meeting

Fundraising

We focused on establishing general guidelines for the upcoming fundraiser. We want to raise funds leading up to the event which will act as a celebration for reaching our goal, we can do this through ticket sales and general appeals. 

Giving Tuesday (12-01-2026) will be the date, though a time hasn’t been agreed on yet. 

We want to raise at least $10,000- this will allow us to do phase 1 of the website and cover barebones operations next year.

The means by which we will reach our goal has yet to be firmly established. However, any of the following will be considered

  • Passive means such as GoFundMe or other means embedded directly in the newsletter or our site

  • Develop swag: empty wine bottles, speed suits, used library cards, sign making kits 

  • Direct donations from meetings or cold calls

  • Lawn mowing, Gallery themed RPG night, Drink Box Wine on Our Porch (be a winner)


Some general guidelines were established for the fundraiser. 


  • It must be generally accessible for all tiers of donors. Meaning that it should be affordable. Those most likely to benefit from our efforts should be able to access the event.

  • Any venue that is considered should probably not be making more than the organization from the fundraiser. In short bars or banquet halls where drinks or caterers are a contractual obligation and the organization will also be paying rent.


Meg and Michael will confirm fundraising goals and a timeline prior to our next meeting

Web Development

We would like to move forward with the proposal from made with best practice


Next Meeting

July 26, 10:00AM–12:00 PM at Spudnik Press

Homework

File under: Not Part of But Interesting (NPOBI) 

  • Definitions from the National Association for the Visual Arts, Australia 

    • Conservators - primarily responsible for the physical care, preservation, and restoration of artworks. 

    • Registrars - focus on the administrative and logistical aspects of art collections, ensuring proper documentation, movement, and care of items

  • Definitions from the Chicago Arts Census

    • Arts Worker: An arts worker is anyone whose work or labor contributes to the public presentation or consciousness of art, music, dance, design, theater, writing, education, and more

    • Chicagoland: Also known as the Chicago Metropolitan area, Chicagoland is a U.S. urban area encompassing the U.S. Census Bureau's Metropolitan Statistical Area [3]. This area includes the City of Chicago, its suburbs, and sixteen counties spanning northeast Illinois, southeast Wisconsin, and northwest Indiana. There are several definitions with varying boundaries of this area. However, the Chicago Arts Census aligns its definition with the U.S. Census Bureau to compare findings.

    • Creative Space: Creative space is the physical or virtual space used to research, develop, and rehearse artistic work. It includes studios, at home or elsewhere, workshops with materials and equipment, or spaces to gather and rehearse.




 




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