An Email

Hey Bloggers, or whoever could be reading this blog, as so I received this following announcement from a friend in my inbox the other day and I thought to post it on this blog because hey, it's less writing sometimes in my attempt to maintain content on this blog whenever possible. And this event art rocks.:


1) Thank you all so much for making November's first ever Hell's Kitchen Artists in Studio Tours such an amazing success.


2) I'm happy to announce that our NEXT Hell's Kitchen Open Studios will be May 21-23. And I'd love for you all to be involved.


HK: ArtiST was enormous, wonderful, and FREE. 50+ locales, largely homes & studios, art sponsored by and in many local businesses, media attention, some sales. Follow our art and exposure: Artists in the Kitchen. So many more performed: Theater, dance, music, song, comedy, video, murals...All who joined us to celebrate at the opening & closing parties. Plus so many helped beyond sharing your Great Muses and art: meetings, volunteers, encouragement-coloring the Festival with your unique spirit, much altruism, cooperation and joy. I am very grateful for all of it. It was the best (1st Midtown West) self guided art tour we could ever want.


Our next Open Studio will be May 21-23. And annually now: each May. I would like all artists from our 1st event back again! Plus so many I have met or were referred: join us! Thursday 2-25 at 6:30 PM is an open meeting at the Renaissance Diner, 776 9th Avenue, just south of 52nd St. I would love to see all, but know many will not be able to attend. So here is an indication of what we plan, & you will all get regular updates. And what I need from all participants, which will not take great effort, but will help us get so much more attention & success in promoting our art, fortunes, and neighborhood as a gem like art destination:

If you want to show work or perform: Please hit "reply" to this E-mail. Tell me what you would like to do with us: what type of art or performance. If outside Midtown West, tell me, I will find a local venue to show your talents. include a link to your Web Site or some web presence or art photos, if you are new to us, or have new info this time around!

Everyone, artists, and all who just LOVE art and want a fun, easy way to nurture this surprisingly original and skilled art scene in the midst of the greatest 'art city' in the world:
please do 2 'lil things for us:

1) Just promote us in general. Put our info & Web site (artistsinthekitchen.org) on all your social media/Facebook like sites. Send out this info, you can cut 'n paste the above, to all your contacts. Tell all to check out our many superb artists on the Web Site, see much of the press and listings we had last time: & if any are in media or have such contacts: get a story done on us! Refer any & all artists & volunteers to me, & re: E-mail lists: please send me every E- address you can for my list/publicity. Artists groups you know: please refer them here, we will cross promote with them to get more visitors and possible patrons/clients.

2) I ask everyone to press reply to just pick one thing to tell me you would like to help with. As much or little as you like. Some can be done just sitting at home, other stuff are simple occasional walks around your area. The main categories to choose from: fliering. Web Site or tech help. Recruiting Press. Getting new sponsors. Outreach to block associations. Contacting hotels/concierges/tour buses to promote us. Printing. Help organizing our parties! Craigslist and other online ads. Getting new venues. Raffle. And even celebrity recruitment: good at getting contact/your/my foot in the door? I have a few BIG names and artists who live here...

Lastly, I had to finalize plans with my core group, inc. superb consultants. So soon I will tell you of idea(l)s like: when we may may get separate non-Profit status, like with a Board, (now we have non-profit status under fiscal sponsorship of Fractured Atlas) and give possibilities of how we may expand, get grants or public funds, etc. Now some want my notes to not be a book,Smiley_face and some are wary of attachments. So if you want to receive the projected vs. actual budget and time line for last year or this one, just ask! For our 1st event, I was about $1,700 in the red. This year I would like to break even. When we start making $, it will all go back in the event: I will never take any profit from it.

Thank you all so much again. I look forward to your great help with this amazing community of artists.

Namaste,
Mike
Founder/President
artistsinthekitchen.org