Alright,
I attended a talk sponsored by the SVA Photography Department about Isaac Diggs and Edward Hillel‘s recent collaboration “125th: Time in Harlem”. The talk was MC’ed by Vicki Goldberg of the New York Times and Vanity Fair. Here’s little bit about the project;
“125th: Time in Harlem examines Harlem’s paradox of place: the tension between the everyday reality of its streets – often contentious, always complex – and the cultural brand it has established in our collective imagination.
The project includes the book, exhibitions, and a series of public programs. The project’s aim is to extend the experience generated by the photographs through exchange and public participation at events and forums. Our hope is to encourage reflection on the past and future of Harlem, New York and other urban centers in rapid flux, and to explore the roles that artists and cultural thinkers play in imagining and shaping our communities.” – 125th: Time in Harlem
Through the whole presentation it was interesting to see the change in the neighbourhood as they kept going back to the same places over a number of years to document the change in the neighbourhood.
The most interesting part to me was when they started talking numbers and how you fundraise for a project like this. Their recommendations included;
- Work under the umbrella of a Non-Profit, in their case it was NYFA. Adds legitimacy.
- For larger scale fundraising make limited edition print runs for corporations that might be interested. You can sell 20-40 books to a company.
- Find a community cheerleader (helps with everyone-is-scared-to-be-the-first-to-jump-in-the-pool-syndrome)
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