Today we held our first Community Meeting at the Blackfriars Theatre from noon to about 1:30 PM PST. We will be using Google Wave for followup discussions.

The meeting first gave a brief overview and “reminder” of what the SLSC is and has done, and then summarized the Status Quo of the SLSC. The meeting’s purpose — to find people to help with fundraising/fundraising ideas/strategy and volunteers to help with admin and other tasks. In that regard, we’ve brainstormed and assigned work (for compiling lists, at least) on the following ideas:

• Immediately Fundraising Possibilities:
  • Advertising/Renting Space - compile lists of interested merchants
  • Publicizing Benefits-Based Campaign: “Possibilities 2010″ - compile lists of people to give this to, languages to translate to
• Short Term Activities (beyond theatre):
  • St. Valentines Eve Dance - costume ball with R&J theme?
  • Chat-Discussion Events
  • Wrestling at the Globe!
• Long Term:
  • Market SLSC/virtual theatre resources as a teaching tool?
  • Vintage Fashion/Jewelry Fairs
  • Immersive Donate-a-thon ? “OFlaherty Dreadlow: Perhaps a behind the scene storyline and experience a la Shakespeare in Love would entice people to participate and spend money–at the Mermaid, for example”

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For those who missed it, and would like to catch up on the details, a transcript of our meeting is available here. A rough meeting agenda is below:Agenda

1. Summary of SLSC/”Reminder” of “who we are” @ http://SLshakespeare.com/press
   1. What people (present at the meeting) think we are:
      1. Rob Bukowski: Well, personally i think the SLSC is great. I saw a play a while back….I think it was macbeth……i was amazed. Actually i am involved in something similar. I am an SL wrestler, so i kind of have to act myself, so i appreciate what you guys do here… I think in a place like sl that is mostly made up of shops and clubs, the slsc is something unique that really stands out
      2. Agatha Klees: I found SLSC few months ago and I wanted to see one of the plays, but I lost them all, so I’m here for curiosity and expevtation
      3. Marvin Dailey: ok… i was walking at Globe Theatre… i became curious about a acting company in sl.
      4. AvadaKedavra Serpente: I think I joined a year ago.. kept meaning to come to one of the shows.. never did. :\ Want to be more involved.
      5. Feste Fallen: irl I’m taking a graduate class on Shakespeare and Performance. The class is interested in how virtual performance works.
      6. Robbie Spiritor: im newb was SLSC was recomended
      7. Asha Tharnaby: It’s the first time I come here, I am so curious… The theater is beautiful
   2. In sum, we’re definitely known for performance.
2. Status Quo:
   1. “Run by an artistic director (read: artistic despot)” - which means that, aside from the tier boost from our 2009 SOS Campaign, I’ve been the person singularly responsible for both financing and creating the SLSC (its productions, its buildings, and infrastructure, and pretty much everything else).
   2. We are not funded by any external sources. We have been raising all of our funds from inworld means.
      1. Nonprofit/Edu island status means US$150/month for the three sLiterary sims - sLiterary, Shakespeare, and Primtings — paid 6 months in advance. Our tier due-date is Feb 20.
      2. Fundraisers
         1. Our most successful fundraiser was the SOS, which raised tier for an entire year for 3 island sims - but it met its deadline 6 months behind schedule.
         2. We have been running a Benefits-based campaign, complete with its own Booklet - http://SLshakespeare.com/sponsorship
            1. a 2010 ed. forthcoming
         3. ALL funding is reported to http://transparency.SLshakespeare.com
   3. We are staffed by volunteers, but along with many resources and networking potential, volunteers get plenty of fringe benefits.
3. Open the floor for suggestions/comments from supporters
   1. Fundraising ideas/advice/etc
   2. Volunteer support/advice for admin and PR/HR roles, especially - also, anything else volunteers would like to do.

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Until our next meeting (won’t be until Feb), discussions will be through comments in this blog entry or via this general SLSC Community Volunteers google wave. (Please email me if you’d like a wave invitation - ina dot centaur at gmail dot com)Many thanks to the SL resident attendees of our first public Community Meeting (in order of arrival): Feste Fallen, AK Verne, Agatha Klees, Constantine Paulino, Marvin Dailey, AvadaKedavra Serpente, Robbie Spiritor, Talulah Nomura, Asha Tharnaby, Rob Bukowski, kitka Serf, Xantho Muhindra, OFlaherty Dredlow