Monday, June 11, 2018

ACTION ALERT! ARM announces Maine Art Exhibit protest project “Life on the List”

OnceFallen and the Anti-Registry Movement proudly presents a new public awareness campaign. Please see the info below for details:

(For the sake of simplicity, I've been referring to it as the Maine Event)

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OnceFallen.com Presents an Anti-Registry Movement (ARM) Public Awareness Campaign

ARM Art Exhibit
“Life on the List”

WHEN:  September 12, 2018 (Fall Classes for USM Begin 9/4/18)

WHERE: Public venue just outside campus of  USM, Portland, ME

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
August 21, 2018

What is needed:
  • Monetary donations for art displays and public awareness materials
  • About 24 works of visual art from registered citizens (and loved ones) with theme of “Life on the list”
Send art or monetary donations to: 

OnceFallen.com
C/O Derek W Logue
8258 Monon Ave., Apt. 3
Cincinnati OH 45216
Phone: 513-238-1873
E-mail: iamthefallen1@yahoo.com

NOTE: IF YOU ARE SENDING A CHECK/ M.O., MAKE CHECKS OUT TO DEREK LOGUE, NOT TO ONCEFALLEN OR ARM, AS NEITHER GROUP HAS BUSINESS ACCOUNTS!

In protest of the University Southern Maine’s recent move to remove art from an exhibit due to the artist’s sex crime conviction from 20 years ago, the Anti-Registry Movement is hosting an outdoor art show/ awareness campaign  in front of USM’s campus once Fall classes begin in early September. We will be passing out literature as well as displaying visual art created by registered citizens and their loved ones. This is not a traditional “protest” and not many volunteers are needed. However, to make this a success, we need people willing to share their art & support this innovative awareness campaign by donating money to the cause.

The art itself is our greatest need! 

If you are donating art, then submit it with the following: Your name (pseudonyms, aliases, and initials are all accepted), your home state, name of artwork, and a brief visual description of what the art depicts. Also, please tell us if you want the art returned to you once the project is over. (I can return it, or keep it as a donation for future art shows or sell to help fund future projects.) Donations are also needed to cover the cost of transporting and displaying the art. Contacts in New England would be helpful.

MORE DETAILS:

MONEY NEEDED: Cost of hotel, travel, and art displays all go into the cost of this event. Portland is roughly 1000 miles from SW Ohio. At this time, the displays have been purchased, and if we follow strict rules (noted below), we won’t have to pay for a permit, which can run $50 to $300/hr, so it is important we follow the rules. Still, the other expenses runs roughly $1000. There should be at least 4 volunteers, looking for a few more closer to Maine.

ART NEEDED: About two dozen pieces of art, preferably from SOs. Art theme is “Life on the List,” so art should be relevant to the theme. Only art that will be rejected, however, would be those that would get me arrested. I don’t mind controversy, just keep it from being obscene.
Along with the art, I need the following info from you:
Name (You can use street names, pseudonyms, initials, aliases, or even “anonymous”
Your State
Name of the art
Brief description of the art (mainly, how it ties into the project). This is open to interpretation. For example: one art piece going on display will feature a beautiful sunset. It was painted in Mexico by a traveling SO. She can no longer travel to Mexico thanks to IML. Now this paining reminds her of what she can no longer do.

If you want the art back after the event, arrangements will have to be made to return the art (keep in mind I’m a one-person operation and I’ll be the one handling the art during the event). The intent of this event is to use the art as a protest. Art cannot be sold during the event itself due to Portland’s local street vendor regulations. However, in the event someone asks about buying art from the event, artists can send me a suggested price and I can discuss the possibility of selling the art after the event is over. Otherwise, all unclaimed art will be kept for possible future art-related projects.


HOW THE EVENT WILL WORK: I will be joined by fellow activists as we break into two groups, posting art in front of two areas by the USM Campus along public sidewalks. (Portland regulations require we use no more than 12 cubic feet of space per location with 4 feet of passing space in front of us, thus offering some limits to what we can display in terms of size. On the upside, breaking up into two groups helps us cover more ground.) We will be passing out literature and talking with passersby (and presumably the media).

LIABILITY: There is a chance, given the culture of today’s feminist campuses and the #MeToo Movement, some people will be offended, but that’s at least part of the point of this event, since it is a PROTEST of USM’s censorship of art by SOs. There is a very small chance that someone could be offended enough to destroy an art piece. Please keep in mind that there is a risk involved with sharing this art, albeit a very small risk. (In my years of engaging in public awareness events, no one has been assaulted or experienced damage of property.)


Our really nice 8 panel display, this thing is great. 
UPDATE 7/5/18: I'm still waiting on confirmation on the permit but initially, I've been told a permit will likely not be needed. That'll help lower costs. I have a few people looking to invest artwork but donations are still needed. As of 7/5/18, only $45 has been raised for this event.

UPDATE 7/9/18: An important first step was taken, as we acquired a very nice 8 panel display for the art for a bargain price of only $70. In addition, we have at least 10 people committed to sending art thus far, one of them being a diorama that represents the Miami homeless crisis. We'll be sharing pics of the art as it comes in.

UPDATE 7/12/18: We are up to $175 in total donations, with two more verbal art commitments added. We're still $825 short of our goal of raising $1000.  Art and Monetary donations are still needed, of course, but the pieces are falling into place.

UPDATE 7/15/18: I acquired another nice display for $35+ tax from a second closing store, needed for the second group to set up shop. The second display is a little smaller but has a spot up top for the diorama one supporter is creating for the event. To save on expenses, I spent pretty much all day pushing that display the 6 miles from the mall to my house.

UPDATE 7/18/18: Thanks to two generous donors, I raised enough to pay for the hotel, and I've completed reservations. Working on getting the proper estimate for travel costs, but now the hotel and the displays are paid.

UPDATE 8/11: To date, enough money has been raised for transportation, hotel, and displays, though financial donations will still be needed for assorted supplies and shipping costs. The first of the art for the art show has been delivered. In addition to Jon from SOSEN, at least half a dozen more arts have verbally committed to sending art. Don't forget, the deadline for art submissions is only 10 days away!

The Centerpiece of the art show, by Jon of SOSEN
Update 8/20/18: I received 11 pieces of prison art from the women's facility in Perryville AZ. I am working on getting them mounted for the event and due to an issue with transporting my displays, I had to order different displays for the art show (at a very low cost, thankfully). Tomorrow is the proposed deadline but some art is still needed, as well as financial contributions to help offset the costs needed to transport the art. I'm hoping to raise roughly $300 to cover the last of the necessary costs.