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Those who attended the St. Lou Fringe Festival in June may know that it was primarily funded by a campaign on Kickstarter, the popular crowdfunding website. The (en)visioning Hyde Park project, which brought art to middle-scholars living in Hyde Park was also successfully funded that way, too.
Of course, there’s one catch with Kickstarter—if the project isn't fully funded, the organization receives no money. That creates a sense of urgency that can provoke both anxiety—and contributions. As the Los Angeles Times reported in February, Kickstarter’s funding of the arts was set to eclipse the NEA’s. We zoomed in on three local arts in the midst of Kickstarter campaigns. After their projects are funded (or not?!) we’ll follow back up with them to get their take on the experience.
An Underground Restaurant: Local Food, Artisan Economics
Underground restaurants are still a relatively new phenomenon. If you're unfamiliar, the concept is this—you are invited to a discreet location, arrive joined by 20 to 100 others, and are fed by chefs you've likely never heard of. Dishes are often experimental, and since there's no organization to the underground, each restaurant has it's own quirks and characteristics.
Viand—an underground restaurant using ingredients sourced only from local farmers—documented their progress over the last seven years. They're compiling the photos and stories from their travels with tips on hosting your own underground dinner party, and are writing a book set to publish December of this year. This Kickstarter covers the costs needed to publish the book independently.
With only a week left, this project has collected $2500 of its $3500 goal. Rewards for donations include recipes created by Viand Chefs, excerpts from the book before its release, and a copy of the book upon its release. For donations of $5000 or more, Viand will fly to out to you and cook a 10-course meal at your home.
Vandalyzm's Newest EP, The End All Be All
St. Louis hip-hop artist Vandalyzm isn't letting anything get in his way. At age 18, he was silently dropped from Def Jam Records in the midst of a record deal. Van pushed on, working with big names like Flying Lotus, 9th Wonder, and Royce Da 5'9. Last year, after releasing The Proposal, he decided to take a break from music to take care of family and friends.
After writing and recording his comeback EP earlier this year, his car was broken in to. Thieves took his laptop, external hard drives and notebooks in which his rhymes were written. This Kickstarter would fund the equipment needed to re-record “The End All Be All,” as well as music videos and touring.
Vandalyzm's Kickstarter has collected two-thirds of its $3,500 goal, and has a little over two weeks left. Premiums for contributors include stickers, a digital download of the EP, or having a song on the new record titled in your name.
Live and Let Dye, by Civil Ape
Civil Ape is a collective of artists with studio space on Cherokee Street. Together, they create everything from websites to screen prints, and have recently been involved in their own clothing line. The collective’s Kickstarter will fund the purchase of new screenprinting equipment, and a dye sublimation printer and ink.
With three weeks left, Live and Let Dye has raised over $3000 of its 8,000-dollar goal; those who donate, depending on the amount, can pick from prints, stickers, or your choice of their numerous shirt designs. More serious backers—those willing to fork over $3,000 or more—get one free product from the Civil Ape store every month for life.
Check back soon for part two of this story, where we check back with our artists and get a recap of their experiences using Kickstarter—the pros, the cons, and the things that surprised them.
