Have You Heard of Kickstarter?

Have you heard of Kickstarter.com? I hadn't until yesterday. It is a site that garners funding for art and other creative projects. I found out about it because a knitting designer that I have known for years wanted to publish her video on stranded knitting, however, she didn't have the funds to do it.

Enter Kickstarter. Beth Brown Reinsel launched her project on Kickstarter and has raised $20,000.00 in pledges. In return for the money pledged she is sending out patterns and kits to knit her amazing Scandinavian mittens. Kickstarter takes on projects such as creating films, publishing books, mounting art installations, and many more.

Although, Kickstarter is the hub, you have to do a lot of the leg work yourself to promote your project. Beth has been posting on FB and other social media sites. I'm sure that she has contacted a lot of people she has taught over the years for help too. Although there are a number of DVDs on stranded knitting, Beth's would be a classic. I'm so glad that she exceeded her original goal of $8,500.00

I think that I'll tell my son about the site. He has some art projects on the back burner. Spread the word. There are many of us who support the arts. Help a project, close to your heart, get launched!!

Cheshire Cat

Here is some information from the site itself:

Seven things to know about Kickstarter:

1. Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative projects.

We’re a home for everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of projects, big and small, that are brought to life through the direct support of people like you. Since our launch in 2009, 5 million people have pledged $836 million, funding 50,000 creative projects. Thousands of creative projects are raising funds on Kickstarter right now.

2. Each project is independently created.

The filmmakers, musicians, artists, and designers you see on Kickstarter have complete control over and responsibility for their projects. Kickstarter is a platform and a resource; we’re not involved in the development of the projects themselves. Anyone can launch a project on Kickstarter as long as it meets our guidelines.

3. Together, creators and backers make projects happen.

Project creators set a funding goal and deadline. If people like a project, they can pledge money to make it happen. Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing — projects must reach their funding goals to receive any money. All-or-nothing funding might seem scary, but it’s amazingly effective in creating momentum and rallying people around an idea. To date, an impressive 44% of projects have reached their funding goals.

4. Creators keep 100% ownership of their work. Backers are supporting projects to help them come to life, not to profit financially. Instead, project creators offer rewards to thank backers for their support. Backers of an effort to make a book or film, for example, often get a copy of the finished work. A bigger pledge to a film project might get you into the premiere — or a private screening for you and your friends. One artist raised funds to create a wall installation, then gave pieces of it to her backers when the exhibit ended.

5. Creative works were funded this way for centuries.

Mozart, Beethoven, Whitman, Twain, and other artists funded works in similar ways — not just with help from large patrons, but by soliciting money from smaller patrons, often called subscribers. In return for their support, these subscribers might have received an early copy or special edition of the work. Kickstarter is an extension of this model, turbocharged by the web.

6. Backing a project is more than just giving someone money.

It’s supporting their dream to create something that they want to see exist in the world. People rally around their friends’ projects, fans support people they admire, and others simply come to Kickstarter to be inspired by new ideas. Some projects take longer than anticipated, but creators who are transparent about issues and delays usually find their backers to be understanding.

7. Our mission is to help bring creative projects to life.

We’re an independent, 69-person company, based in New York City’s Lower East Side. We spend our time making Kickstarter a little bit better every day, answering questions from backers and creators, and finding new projects to share. If a project is successfully funded, we apply a 5% fee to the funds collected.

We believe that creative projects make for a better world, and we’re thrilled to help support new ones. Building a community of backers around an idea is an amazing way to make something new.

The picture? My sons sculpture of the Cheshire Cat.

Have an awesome day!!