12 Reasons Not to Give

The year is ending and with that comes the deluge of requests for donations. Non-profits know that many people wait until the end of the year to decide on their giving. We’ve received loads of pleas for gifts. They all have good reasons why we should give. You have probably heard many of these good reasons, but what about the reasons not to give? We’d like to present you with a dozen good reasons to not give to Colorado Art Ranch this year. If, after due consideration, you choose to contribute anyway, well, we’ll take it.

All the money goes to big salaries.

Yes, well, mama needs a new yacht. Lest we be lumped with Bernie Madoff and Bill Gates, we’ll make a full disclosure here:

2007 Executive Director Salary $15,000

Artposium Coordinators (2) $4,000

2008 Executive Director Salary $3,000

Artposium Coordinator $2,000

2009 $0

2010 Intern (5 months) $2,000

Colorado Art Ranch is a fly-by-night organization.

True, we do not own property and are almost always on the move, but we typically drive-by-day. Our director logs over 30,000 miles/year within the state of Colorado as he sets up residencies, Artposia, Saloon Salons, collaborations and future projects.

Colorado Art Ranch does not serve my community.

We do not serve every geographical community in Colorado. That would be cool, but not really feasible at this time. We do serve a community of thinkers who enjoy exploring the intersection of art, science and land/human issues.

The bastards didn’t give me a residency.

We wish we could offer more residencies to artists and scientists, but, alas, these are expensive. We are limited to offering space based on the number of bedrooms we can rent. We have served over 60 artists-in-residence so far. Our acceptance rate is consistent with the 300 residencies in the US (about 13%).

The Artposia is rarely or never in my town.

Our records indicate that our audience rarely comes from the host community. The Artposia rely on audience support to pay for space, yummy food, great speakers and thoughtful workshops. We have lost money on six out of seven Artposia. Our accountant has suggested that this may not be sustainable. We have started a new program called Saloon Salon to build up audiences in local communities. When we have support, we can bring the Artposium to a community.

NPR gives me a coffee cup if I donate.

Hmmm, we don’t want to be left out here. Tell you what, anybody who donates $100 or more can get a free coffee cup. We have a nice one here that says Minneapolis Police Department on it. It is thermal and leaks a bit from too many trips to the dishwasher, but it’s yours for the asking. We also have a few Webroot mugs.

I can’t figure out where the ranch is.

Good call. It doesn’t really show up on a map because its, well, virtual. The ranch is a metaphor for values such as land stewardship, connectedness to the land, helping family and neighbors, and thinking broadly.

Colorado Art Ranch is just another arts organization.

You looking for a fight? The second word in our name is Art and we promote the arts as a catalyst for change in the world. Art is not just what happens in a studio, museum or performance space. The whole world is engaged in art on some level. We want creative long-range thinking to be part of politics, schools, corporations, communities and nations.

I don’t get that mining thing

Hardrock Revision is different from our traditional residency and Artposium models. We will bring together people from the arts and other disciplines to explore uses for a shuttered gold mine. The local community will be very involved (since they own the outcome) and consideration will be given to heritage, recreation, tourism, safety, water quality, rural economic development and aesthetics.

There are a huge number of worthy causes out there.

Yup, we give to more than Colorado Art Ranch ourselves and think you should too. Some charities address immediate problems and have very tangible results; some may support a particular religion; some help with bigger picture ideas. Each individual should consider their own values and support those organizations that share those values.

Colorado Art Ranch does not own anything, why do they need money?

Actually, we do own a video camera and a cell phone. Our expenses are mostly travel and program. We have not invested much in fundraising or administration. We would like to be able to fund some staff positions so the organization can sustain itself. It’s pretty hard to hire someone and not offer a salary; job candidates tend to balk at that.

There is a recession on, so no sense giving until it’s over.

We hope it’s warm and dry in your cave. Our lives are going on now. Things will never be like they were (good, bad or indifferent) and we have to figure out the best ways for human beings to live on this planet with all its challenges. We are offering chances to think about issues from many viewpoints and to see how connected these issues are.

Artist Basia Irland at Wade in the Water

Hello, Blogosphere! Seeing as this is my first post for the Colorado Art Ranch blog, let me introduce myself. My name is Samantha, and I’m the new PR and Marketing Intern here at the Ranch. I’m so excited to be a part of this great non-profit. I grew up in Steamboat, so rural Colorado has a special place in my city-girl heart. I can’t wait to attend our upcoming Artposium, Wade in the Water, in Salida. Mark your calendars for a great, artsy time: May 21^st-23^rd.

If you’ve been following our blog and our goings on, you already know a little bit about Wade in the Water. But here’s a quick recap for those just now visiting. Wade in the Water will be a weekend of water-themed disscussions, workshops and lectures held in the lovely town of Salida, named one of Outside Magazine’s “Dream Towns & Adventure Hideouts.” Exciting guest speakers will entertain and enthrall and we’ll get a fresh look at the way we see, use, enjoy, and control our water.

“Water and Eco Artist” Basia Irland is one of our featured guest speakers. Irland is Professor Emerita at University of New Mexico, and one of the world’s foremost water-based artist-activist-thinkers. She’s a sculptor and installation artist, a poet and book artist, and an activist in water issues. Her efforts include building rainwater-harvesting systems, community building along river corridors, and creating “ice books” embedded with seeds to foster plant growth along rivers.

What most excites me about Irland are her otherworldly ice books. They are stunning in a simple, elegant way. Water is a beautiful medium, and Irland proves her ability to harness it with these “books” that look like they’re made of glass, with “text” written through seeds. Besides their natural beauty, they serve a functional purpose (and in my opinion art that is functional AND beautiful gets extra points): as the book melts in the river, the seeds float away, distributing themselves downstream and along the banks. Irland says on her website, “I work with stream ecologists, biologists, and botanists to ascertain the best seeds for each specific riparian zone. When the plants regenerate and grow along the bank, they help sequester carbon, hold the banks in place, and provide shelter for riverside creatures.”

Can’t wait to hear more from Basia Irland at Wade in the Water. Check out her website at http://www.basiairland.com. Register for the event at http://coloradoartranch.org/current.htm, or https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=cf3320. Follow our blog and receive a discount on registration…just use the coupon code “blog” at checkout. See you there!

---Samantha

Join the Colorado Art Ranch mailing list here: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001fCFdTiS7mDQ6H9iPBpovmg%3D%3D

Changing Human Behavior

A You Tube link came the other day from Steve Self in Durango. This clip features an experiment to get people to use the stairs instead of the escalator. Take a look at the Musical Stairs. It turns out this is a bit of viral marketing from VW who want to make a statement about innovation. The have highlighted several other ideas for changing behaviors at The Fun Theory.

This is a great example of how creative thinking can guide change without hitting people over the head.

Colorado Art Ranch at DIA

The Colorado Art Ranch is excited to announce The Denver International Airport Art Program has offered us one of their high profile exhibit spaces January 15 through April 15, 2010. The area on the bridge to concourse A security screening will host an exhibit titled 28 Ideas and features 28 works from those who have been Nomads, speakers, or residents of Colorado Art Ranch. Work will be selected by a jury. Finalists will be selected based on work that demonstrates how the artist uses their passion, skills and knowledge to address, envision, or question human and land issues.

DIA is the fifth busiest airport in the country and 10th busiest in the world. The security screening area sees approximately 40,000 passengers and employees per day. During the length of the exhibit almost 5 million people will pass across the bridge. Now, a lot of those people will be concentrating on their lattes, late flights, angst and irascible children. That leaves maybe one million that will notice the exhibit and 750,000 who will actually look at some or all of it.

We will have the artists work and statements online so visitors can learn more.

The show will go up in early February, 2010, and be up for three months. The letter to artists and RFP is available on our home page.

Carpenter Ranch Residency

The Nature Conservancy in Colorado has agreed to collaborate with Colorado Art Ranch on an annual residency on the Carpenter Ranch near Hayden, Colorado. They previously allowed us to host three artists and an Artposium at the ranch in 2008. The ranch is in a unique setting along the Yampa River in Routt County and boasts a rare narrow-leaf cottonwood forest. The property has the original ranch house and barn that are on the historical registry.

We will begin hosting three visual and literary artists at the ranch in September 2010. These artists will work a few hours each week for the ranch and meet with school groups for one day. The rest of the time they are free to pursue their work and ramble around on the 900 acres of the ranch. There are materials available for sculpture in the bone yard, and birds, beeves and beaves on the property. Information is on the residency section of the Colorado Art Ranch web site.