9/13 Notes

Operations and Research

The Visualist Operations

New Language for the Visualist

• We have final language and it’s live! (Thank you Vesna for some edits at the meeting)

• We need good text for our support page. Meg and Michael are working on that here Support us, we’d love feedback

Volunteers

We are ready to open up our call for volunteers. We are looking for 6–8 people to work 2–4 hours per week. We will make the announcement starting 9/17.

We are hoping to get your help in distributing it. Also, we will post it on CAC’s Resources, SAIC Handshake, and get ChatGPT to give us some ideas. 

Helpful Docs:

• Job Description
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zaFRdxc2rxLA8J6g6trPas8kVKqaReuLbqB1wxRQtv4/edit?usp=sharing 

• Sample call for volunteers and timeline https://docs.google.com/document/d/16siiLP2YiaABDaP8GLW_j1r6w2tJ0GX-F3cOErAFW54/edit?usp=sharing 

• Volunteer application
  https://forms.gle/ojJtEGZt2hvorStL9 

• Jackie’s awesome video is live here https://youtu.be/576VULJJnbc
  
  

Fundraising

Our Fundraiser will be on Giving Thursday, December 3rd (roadmap and timeline here Fundraiser Roadmap 2026 - The Visualist.docx)

• Our Fundraiser will be at SECRIST | BEACH (they are donating the space! YAY!)

• We want to raise at $25,000 this will allow us to do phase 1 and 2 of the website and cover barebones operations next year.

• The funds will come through something like go-fund me because there is a bar that shows the amount raised (we are awaiting non-profit approval for this)

• We are visiting the space on the 17th

• We will be using Luma instead of partiful
   

Bake Sale

• It will be a bake sale with Santa cosplay

• Bake sale invitation letter here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caMcrtEscuz56WPTDHAjA3pYxLc2ArGR/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105493607370560104216&rtpof=true&sd=true)  

• letter for drink donations is here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yc9e6CEBLWaP080g72hF0MD5hgFgpLa_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105493607370560104216&rtpof=true&sd=true) 

• 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 donations, if you make a donation, you can come. We will also create a venue booklet that will be available at the event, but that might be for people who make a certain donation.

• Meg opened a spreadsheet for sponsorship and partners which we worked on together. (FUNDRAISER CONTACTS.xlsx) 

Venue Booklet

• Trejon made a really amazing draft here (TheVisualist - Venue List_09102026 - Trejon.pdf)

• We are getting a quote from spudnik for this with a stitched binding ad 12 pages

• We are working to update our venue list with addresses

• We can email venues to confirm addresses and websites (Draft here Venue book) 

• We will also do an open call (Under the confirmation letter here Venue book)

• We can share images of our venue list so the work is protected from bot theft and then people can email us with changes

Chicago Art Index Update:

• The folder for Research Assistants has been secured

• We’re looking forward to meeting with Rongzhang at some point

• We are hoping to find a way to collaborate

Marketing Assessment

• Joe had some good ideas about our web desription and SEO, he will be sharing an assessment at our next meeting

Web Development

We are going to move forward with the proposal from Made With Best Practice. Meg and Michael are reaching out with next steps

Next Meeting

October 4, 10:00AM–12:00 PM at Spudnik Press

• Speaking about operations and fundraiser 

• Marketing!

Homework

• We will be sending a call for volunteers out this week, please help distribute

• Add to and send letters to the FUNDRAISER CONTACTS.xlsx

• Add people to the contacts and spread the word with social media.

• We need good text for our support page. Meg and Michael are working on that here Support us, we’d love feedback

• Work on adding events to the event list here, and enter events into The Visualist, checking for typos.