Dusty Corners

Hmmm.... this place needs a bit of tidying up, a brush a mop and a bucket. (Funny, I typed mob instead of mop... hope it's not an angry one, either mop or mob!)

Brought home a postcard from the Happiest Place on Earth with Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's the kind that changes as you move it in the light. He looks so happy with his new discovery, a new mop, one of many. Watch out Mickey!!

Hard to know what to say...

I had big plans to reply to the loads of excellent replies to my posts last week. A few days got by me, and then Thursday was a very much different day than I could have ever imagined.

For all of the family and friends of Davina and Brock and their kids, and for this beach community, I am so sorry for our loss of love, life, and imagined sanctuary. Give someone you love a hug, a good long hug, and deepen your commitment to doing what you know is right. We have loads of work to do. I am very grateful for all the loving people in my life. I am grateful living in our community. This illness and violence deepens my commitment to working together to make things better.

I remember picking up our girls after kindergarten one day and chatting with Davina. Now her kids, and lots and lots of other kids, need adults to do the right thing, to work to make the world a better, safer place. My thanks to all of you who are doing exactly that.

Thank you Michele for nurturing the kids at Bell Arts Factory. Thank you Lynne for caring at the Art Barn. Thank you Mb for teaching in the juvenile jail school. Thank you Della for loving our daughters. Thank you Moses for making our dreams come true. Thank you Mom and Dad for insisting on excellence and loving your family and community so much.

Friday I was in shock. Over the weekend I was sad and angry. Yesterday I was depressed. Today, I am grateful. Now I am aware of what I have to do. What we have to do. I don't know exactly what to say... I sense the shape of what needs to be done. Putting fear aside and carrying on.

Poppies by Mb Hanrahan

Communications and Social Media

Hello there,

As you are reading this, either you visited my blog, this post was e-mailed to you, or you subscribed to my blog. This is part of my effort to communicate inclusively and be open to feedback.

With so many communication options available, it's important to let you choose how you tune in. I've heard from people feeling they may be missing important bits not being on facebook, but choosing not to join, which I understand. They asked would I please continue sending notices via e-mail.

Our major notices do go out via e-mail lists, and I still use e-mail a lot myself. Admittedly though, there is a lot of dialog happening on facebook. I am also broadcasting and direct messaging on twitter.

Here's the way I look at it. I'm not going to shout in a field to invite you to my wedding -- you'll get an invite in your mail box. So expect e-mails for important notices. Still, you might want to consider wandering out into the field, we are having some excellent conversations there, and your voice would be valued. And you might just get the scoop on the after party. ; )

Bellartsfactory.org is an excellent resource. We have some work to do in clarifying how the different parts of our organization fit together. We can refine and tune our web and print strategies. Yet from say a year ago, we have made enormous progress.

The term Social Media may or may not carry meaning for you. The idea is that opening up the conversation to more voices creates value. I am experiencing this as true. I remain committed to an open, inclusive frame of mind myself, and to an open and inclusive process. Social media suits that.

I look forward to our productive dialog. Chime in on whatever channel suits you, and share and add to the tasty stew we are creating. Talk to one another. Open up the conversation.

Please comment on this blog, I am happy to hear from you here. Or, as you wish:

Facebook: http://profile.to/joshua_addison/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Joshua_Addison/

E-mail: josh@bellartsfactory.org

I deeply appreciate your many generous contributions of time, energy and treasure to Bell Arts Factory. You are making our project work and grow. And without you, it really is just another building.

Joshua Addison

Reflecting on the year so far

Interesting in May to reflect back on earlier this year, when I set up this blog and we started our digital campaign. The redesigned website and the email marketing campaign worked well to improve the image and more effectively spread the word. Attendance at our events through the spring is well up from last year, especially First Fridays. Also we just have more going on in general, with Vita Art Center open, the Tool Room Gallery actively rotating shows, movie nights at MbUniverse, and more events, like the New West Symphony gig, going on in the Community Room.

Still lots of hours open for more going on in the CR. Heard from Rosel on Friday that the Charter school up the Ave. might be interested in having some educational time in there. Also as Vita's schedule grows they could use some time. The yoga and tai chi classes are seeing increasing attendance. So gradually it grows.

My deep gratitude to all the people who are giving so much loving kindness to the Bell Arts Factory project. Our community needs healing, and that is some of what is happening at our place.

I have added some more links to the blog for interesting art magazines. Had an idea this morning for using twitter to run ticket giveaways as part of our membership program. It would include a facebook scavenger hunt to collect tweetable clues to get the tickets. (Texted this post.)

Bafpov Blog

I'm back to using this blog as a transcript of work in progress on
developing the technology side of our enterprise. Blog posts are
going out automatically via email to Linda, Moses and MB. Let me know
and I can add you to this list. You can also subscribe using an RSS
reader. I use Google's reader. I'm posting this from my iPhone as an
email to the blog.

Technology

I have been experimenting with and adopting a range of social media tools. Twitter is proving useful - I am tweeting as @Joshua_Addison. Try it out and tweet me, I'll share some tips.

CAN, Community Arts Net website

http://www.communityarts.net/

I am researching community transformation through creativity, arts and culture.

Email Blast - Click here to See February Bell Arts News

Hello dear reader,

I just sent out an email to about 2,000 people, a new odd sensation. It is about First Fridays, new studio artists, our Solstice Happening and Vita Art Center. If it did not get to you via e-mail, send me your e-mail address and I will add you to the list.

Summer Solstice Event

Deby Tygell sent this out, I've copied from her e-mail.

This is SO EXCITING, We're going to have a FABULOUS ~~* Summer SOLSTICE EVENT in Ventura!!!!!



Come to throw in your ideas: 7:00 p.m. Thursday, FEBRUARY 12 at My Florist (on Oak & Santa Clara)



It's going to be SO COOL at Bell Arts Factory on SATURDAY, June 20th!!!



please rsvp to me = dt



(766-3718)

Call To Action -- Our Wish List

This post is directed at my Bell Arts Factory colleagues, but anyone who stumbles upon is it welcome to participate.

I want to know what you want, what we need, our Bell Arts Factory wish list.

This past Monday night we had a productive meeting of the Factory Arts Alliance. Improved signage and lighting at the front of the building was wished. Joanne and I talked yesterday, and a sign in the hallway saying "Restroom --->" was wished. I wish for a canopy over the entrance from the parking lot so water does not come under the door when it rains.

So you get the idea. What would make the place better?

My examples above are in the physical realm. Wishes for more open hours, marketing to bring collectors, education programming crafted to the needs of Factory artists -- not just physical wishes count too.

I encourage you to comment and exchange thoughts here. I would like for this blog site to become a community space where we can make what we are doing better - more satisfying and delicious.

Thank you!!

Here is a helpful link from for artists Tyler Suchman's blog about building web presence through social networking. http://www.tylersuchman.com/2008/01/social-network-marketing-for-artists.shtml

Detail

Art by MB Hanrahan

How it was

What a week

Enjoyed another lunch at Taqueria Tepatitlan today. Dined with Tyler Suchman, talked about Bell Arts Factory web strategies. I swear I have never had a bad meal, not even a bad bite, at Lily and Juan's fine establishment. Today it was one fish taco with rice and beans. I have a standing order for a side of guacamole arriving with the chips and salsa. What a luxury.

But I digress. Tyler is a wizard of web wonders. A big part of what we need to accomplish this year for the factory is to make our online gig more robust. We talked about video as a part of that. I am thinking that our work with the Ventura Film Festival may bring some of that to our site.

Sure to be an interesting year.

Fwd: VENTURA FILM FESTIVAL / CITY OF VENTURA MEETING

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Christy Weir <christy@christyweir.com>
Date: Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: VENTURA FILM FESTIVAL / CITY OF VENTURA MEETING


Lorenzo,
You have a winning combination of vision and management ability which will
no doubt create a successful festival. We are fortunate to have such talent
in Ventura! Thank you for bringing your board to meet with us--you have
assembled an impressive group of dedicated people.

We look forward to working with you all in your endeavor to create a unique
film festival in our community.

Sincerely,
Christy Weir
Mayor, City of Ventura

Vita Art Center is now at Bell Arts Factory

Sign