Portal City Fundraiser ~ Art, Music, Community Center!
We are raising funds to open a bigger venue in Wilmington as a platform for creatives to connect with the community through events, retail, public art, workshops, and a well-equipt studio space.
Leader
Alyssa James
Location
1148 Shipyard Blvd Wilmington, NC 28412
About the project
Portal City's first year was an experimental, expansive time of connecting the people of Wilmington and discovering the need for a platform of artist empowerment and community engagement. Now we are ready to take this project to the next level!
The Project: Open up a mid-sized venue. Create an immersive experience and oasis of creativity and inspiration. Build a platform for artists to connect with the community through a collective open network, studio space, music / art events, community gatherings, workshops, retail space / coffee shop hang-out, and public art.
This amazing opportunity with the Artist Lead! program will match the funds raised up to $15,000, making this big move feasible. This comes at a time when the future of Portal City needs it - due to noise ordinance issues preventing us from utilizing our space which we were quickly outgrowing, and the Coronavirus knocking back all efforts to raise money through events. However, this has lead us to start searching for a bigger, better space, and to organize a buisness plan that is sustainable and allows for local job creation, more interaction with the community, and for bigger dreams to come to live.
The Steps
- Secure the Space: Deposit & First month's rent, Work with the city to attain zoning and licensing - Upfit the space
- Fundraiser event: Recruit volunteers, and Celebrate: Show our gratitude to those who have donated & raise money for equipment
- Buy equipment for studios (Tables, shelving, Studio mic & software, DJ controller, computer with software (Adobe, Abelton, etc), Video Camera, Misc Art supplies) & Install Kiln outlet with kiln!
- Build stage & set up lighting rig
- Purchase supplies & set up the coffee shop / gallery space
- Hire team: Retail / coffee, Security & door staff for events, Marketing, Magazine editorial team, Set up internship for UNCW / CFCC students, Find community outreach partners
- Rent out individual studio spaces, schedule our first events and workshops, grand opening !
Why we‘re doing it
We are passionate about the importance of arts/music in the community, and the potential that they have on changing our world.
Our mission is to empower artists to grow, experiment, and become entreprenuers and community developers. We aspire to become an example of collaborative support and to engage the community through thought-provoking and connecting experiences.