30/09/2019 - Initial Meeting
Discussed and voted upon basic details such as location, before or after Christmas, drinks, etc. Details of these are as follows:
The Print Auction will be held at the Student Union, and the SU Bar will be open and offering cheap refreshments throughout the night. Harriet and Jamie are both bar trained with the SU so can potentially work this on the night.
It was decided that the Print Auction would be held before December, and Harriet has confirmed with SU Manager Paige that the SU can be used for the event- Paige is getting back to her on which dates the space will be available.
We could all make Christmas-based postcards/ greetings cards but these should include information on the back about the location and who took the images as last year many people asked this information from those on the postcard stall.
We agreed we’d prefer to have a professional auctioneer rather than a student but want to keep costs low for this so that it isn’t eating into our budget. Free or cheap would be ideal!
Is it worth asking Amateur Dramatics at Plymouth University? Jan is going to contact the auctioneer he spoke to last year and see if he is available once we have a confirmed date.
14/10/2019 - Second Meeting
Harriet had spoken with Paige (SU Manager) asking for potential dates for the event, and she had come back with either the 3rd or 10th of December. The group decided we would do it on the 10th due to absences on the 3rd.
We decided that we would open at 5:30pm, start at 6pm, finish at 10pm and close down by 10:30pm. This will mean we need security, and Harriet is going to speak to the SU about this.
Harriet brought forward that we needed to start emailing artists and photographers ASAP now that we have the details of the event, and proposed that we could use the draft email from last year and adapt this.
Harriet also suggested that we reuse the old branding, as this means we don’t waste time making a logo and new social media accounts, not to mention we will already have people who have liked or followed the social media. Everyone agreed this was a good idea.
Music - will be be using live music or simply just play a curated playlist through the speakers? We don’t want to eat into any profit by paying, so someone will look into contacting music students from University of Plymouth to see if we could find someone or a group who could perform for free. If not, we will choose music via the speaker system.
To organise the prints themselves, we could use lot numbers and each print should have a card backing and acetate folder in order to protect them. The lot numbers will assist in ensuring to get buyer information faster and help for payment - as well as having a payment desk to collect information and having someone operating the card machine to ensure we get all payments. I have spoken with Rowena and confirmed that we will be able to have two card machines on the night - one for the SU staff behind the bar and one for us to use.
We all agreed it would be best to mix the prints throughout the exhibition, rather than having a section for student work and a section for artists work. Mixing the different valued work will help to build excitement and will help people to value student work more.
Contact visiting lecturers ahead of time - these are listed on the BA(Hons) Photography noticeboard and if you cannot find their contact details on their website, Mohini said she would be able to provide these. If we ask ahead of time whether they could provide us with a book or print(s), they could bring them along to their talk - saves them money and hassle and saves us chasing them up!
All work should be documented as soon as it comes in, as to ensure we stay on top of this. They will be stored in a set of locked drawers to ensure safety and prints should be kept flat so they are perfect on the night.
Christmas Theme Ideas:
Christmas Postcard Table; same as last time but with Christmas prints. Perhaps this could be at the same table as payments?
Gift Wrapping; for books we could offer a gift-wrapping service as it is so close to Christmas and people may be purchasing as gifts.
Christmas Drinks & Snacks; if we supply the SU with mulled wine and mince pies to distribute (saves us a job on the night) they will supply mulled apple juice as a non-alcoholic alternative for the non-drinkers.
Stall in Reception; we can hold several stalls in reception where we are selling our Christmas-themed postcards/ greetings cards and advertise the event ahead of time. We will need to confirm with reception when we can do this.
Harriet confirmed with SU: The space has been booked from 5pm to 11pm, with security booked from 9pm to 11pm. This ensures that we won’t have to rush setting up the event and also that we don’t have to shoo people to leave once the event is over.
Suggestion to contact Plymouth University Photography students and staff to attend the night and potentially donate some work for the auction.
Harriet confirmed with SU: The space has been booked from 5pm to 11pm, with security booked from 9pm to 11pm. This ensures that we won’t have to rush setting up the event and also that we don’t have to shoo people to leave once the event is over.
Suggestion to contact Plymouth University Photography students and staff to attend the night and potentially donate some work for the auction.
01/11/2019 - Meeting with Tina
People need to be attending meetings - the print auction WILL fail if people don't turn up to them because it will fall apart and we won't have the funding that we need!
Fundraising in general: Try bag packing at supermarkets Thank you to those who contribute - projector at Free Range? Chalkboard for the event?
Raffle: Advertise on the stall in reception, as well as on the night. Someone to ask around shops and stalls to donate prizes, local businesses like Mrs Brown's and Knead Pizza, Plymouth Art Cinema too. Kerry at the print lab to donate a print voucher? SU to donate a bar tab? Announce winners at the start of the second half of the auction Someone needs to specifically have this role - who wants to do this?
Kickstarter: This will need to be shared on social media, shared far and wide In the past this has made well over £1000 Video needs to be short and to the point More motivation to donate
Emails: More people across the college to be emailed, lectures, especially the Photography staff If people haven't responded to the emails, try a second email, try calling instead - people are more likely to say yes on the phone Everyone needs to be emailing loads and ASAP. This week everyone needs to pull their weight - the more people we ask, the more people we'll get Once confirmed, please ask for details of print and see if they have a digital copy Thank everyone who sends one and follow up after the auction
Invitations: Invite all the program leaders, heads of schools, all senior members of staff
People to contact: Other universities Photography departments from different universities - invite and ask for prints Simon Norfolk Martin Parr Kirsty Mitchell Andy Ford Tom Hunter Charlie Waite Old visiting lecturers Look through the catalogue that was shared and email the artists that are in that This year's visiting lecturers NEED to be emailed ASAP Invite whenever. Send catalogue week in advance.
Print Auction Format: Some of the best work during the 1st half Get someone to bid against Tima Auctioneer?
Design Team: Catalogue needs to be slick and well planned, needs to look professional Deadline a least a week before the print auction Needs to include a lot number, biography, details of the print; finish, size, etc. This needs to be done well in advance Needs to have a T's and C's like the example Tina showed us with details about proxy voting; how to leave details and maximum bid information
Budget: Need to figure specific details for each section, e.g. posters Need receipts to get money from budget
Photography: The old images are dreadful Tina suggested using the scanner for all images
Curation: Need to do a floor plan and send to Rowena so that she can draw up a risk assessment Support card for the back of images Archival sleeves of specific dimensions for each print ISO19 stickers to steal (ask at DPB) Thank you cards for each person who buys a print Bags for prints to take away (eco-friendly; paper) Test TV in the SU with Presentation in advance of the event
Socials: Need to be regularly updated Need to be shared far and wide Sneak peaks of prints, name drop, get people excited
Minimum of two meetings a week - not necessarily everyone but at least one person from each group MAIN PRIORITY - CONTACTING PEOPLE
If wanted, someone can ask Mohini to use the Photography phone to call people also
Team Leaders for each group; this has worked well in the past for organisation - please decide over the weekend - one main person for Jamie and Harriet to monitor what each of the groups are doing, any issues are easily raised, etc.
Tina said if nothing changes, if nothing progresses, we should consider cancelling
11/11/2019 - Critical Meeting
Mohini has obtained a signed photobook from Tom Hunter, paid for by the course allowance
Mohini said about all students paying in £50 per semester into the cohort fund (£100 in total) to put towards Free Range, but this is something all students will need to agree on and there need to be set deadlines to ensure that everyone pays.
People need to be around for the fundraising team because they need to take headshots of everyone and need everyone to be involved in the fundraising video. Attendance is key for this because this is the biggest way for us to raise the most money.
Design need to start making catalogue or at least drafts. The one Tina sent is a good example so follow that structure?
Megan W is going to speak to her manager to see whether they would allow us to bag pack if we did 50% charity 50% ISO funding.
Before Christmas, we are going to do a few stalls in reception selling Christmas postcards/ greetings cards and also doing a raffle to fundraise. Who would like to do these and when? We need to book with FOH.
Jamie has been having an issue with finding an auctioneer who can do it at the end of the year, but many have told them they would be available in the new year. This is also something to consider. Jan to send over his list from last year.
The main point talked about for this meeting was timings and whether or not the print auction would be doable for the current timeframe, for the event to be happening on December 10th. Everyone agreed that they felt it would not be possible, and if possible, it would not be a successful event in terms of raising funds due to the lack of prints obtained. We decided that a democratic vote would be best. All 9 attendees voted to rearrange the auction to after Christmas and sometime early in the new year - to get the opinions of those who were not there, I (Harriet) created a poll in the Messenger group. The majority appears to be a new date.
After the meeting, Harriet and Jamie let Rowena know that it’s likely going to be postponed. Harriet figured out the best alternate date(s) and came back with 25/02/2019. In this case, Rose will rebrand the logo to ISO20.
Jan raised the issue that second years will also be holding a print auction at some time in the new year so either Harriet or Jamie will speak to someone from that course in order to clear up any clashes.
ANYONE EMAILED WILL NEED TO BE RE-EMAILED WITH NEW DATES, ESPECIALLY TIMA, MAYOR, ETC.
15/11/2019 - Meeting in T2.11
Register taken: most people there. So important that everyone attends every meeting, especially Team Leaders.
Jan, Emma, Kat: Please click “going” on fb event.
Jan: to share spreadsheet of auctioneers with Jamie. (done?)
Everyone: Priority to contact everyone who has responded and inform of re-schedule. Apologise and be polite, of course. Draft email to be written? “Due to unforeseen circumstances” Inform people by Tuesday.
Megan W: invite Mayor on new date.
Emma: invite Tima on the new date. (done)
Fundraising page and video needs to be live before December 1st. Fundraising Team need to set a date and we can tell lectures to make sure it’s a session which is timetabled to ensure people attend? Headshots of every person on our course as we as a full group photograph to use in the promotion of events for Free Range. Who wants to be the spokespeople for the video? EVERYONE TO ATTEND.
Decide on the name? Are we all okay with ISO20 for Free Range?
Raffle prizes: make a spreadsheet for this, everyone must do this. Agreed to draw before Christmas. When selling, make sure to take emails from everyone so we can inform them in case they’ve already gone home for Christmas.
Postcard Sales - to happen alongside raffle prizes. Use DryLab, Shola to print as she has credit from last year. Everyone who wants to, to upload festive images to the drive.
Megan E: make iso20 Instagram account - please share login details.
Megan W: have you heard from your manager? (not yet)
£50 from bursary agreed upon; everyone to pay in before Christmas.
Design Team need Photography Team to do scans ASAP for the catalogue - they will assist to ensure this is done quickly and efficiently.
Jan raised issues with the poster. Everyone to vote on whether the current poster will be used or whether new posters will be made and voted on.