Events Promotion Bill

Patroklus Murakami · Post by **Patroklus Murakami** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:52 am

A draft 'Events Promotion Bill' has been posted [url=http://forums.neufreistadt.info/viewtop ... 4:2w7dkqvf]here[/url:2w7dkqvf] on the CSDF sub-forum. It will be discussed on Thursday at our regular weekly CSDF meeting at 3pm in The Red House on the Lowland Road, (Neufreistadt 123, 33). I am posting it here so that others have a chance to comment.

michelmanen · Post by **michelmanen** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:33 pm

While the intention is admirable, this amount ($400) will really make no difference, considering both the time and effort it takes to organise an event ( such as a lecture, conference, concert, fashion show etc) and the cost of some ( about $1200L per hour for a DJ, 2000 to 5000 for a live performer). At best, this should be only one element of a comprehensive and well-thought out plan to promote and encourage cultural, artistic, recreational and educational events in our community. This proposal is not such a plan.

Beathan · Post by **Beathan** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:47 pm

Michel --

I am inclined to agree. This bill is tokenism. A $500 Linden recognition of an event sponsor does nothing to encourage activities in the sims. All I can see it doing is to add complexity to CDS government by involving the government in what should be private activities that occur without government involvement or facilitation.

If we are to provide recognition of active citizens -- which I think we should -- that recognition be more in the form of an honorific than in an honorarium, especially such a small honorarium.

The CDS does not have unlimited financial resources. As I see it, the best use of those resources is to build and maintain the sims. Leave activities in the sims up to private enterprise without government subsidization or sponsorship.

Beathan

michelmanen · Post by **michelmanen** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:52 pm

OMG! I agree with every word! I need to Church!!

Patroklus Murakami · Post by **Patroklus Murakami** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:35 pm

I think that both Michel and Beathan have misunderstood the purpose of this bill. It is not intended to compensate people for putting on events in the CDS, it is meant to acknowledge that such efforts benefit the CDS as a whole with a small honorarium. Have either of you read 'Freakonomics'? There's a whole section about how financial inducements don't work the way we think they do, it's the small acts of recognition that are valued and which alter behaviour.

"Events" don't have to be massive productions involving lectures, concerts, fashion shows etc. (though those would be nice!) they can be a discussion meeting like 'Thinkers' meetings or a game of Primtionary. Both types of events have drawn in lots of people to the CDS in the past and given our citizens events to attend.

We could discuss increasing the minimum amount payable (I thought people would not be too keen on most of the budget going to one or two people each month) and the total amount to be used.

One further point: this is pump-priming money for six months only. It is entirely legitimate for government to intervene in this temporary, restrained way where there is market failure. Private enterprise is not currently solving this problem (with a few notable exceptions, particularly in Colonia Nova).

michelmanen · Post by **michelmanen** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:32 am

My concern is this: the RA passed something similar some months ago. Those who wanted to put up events anyway, never received a penny. The inducement -as far as I am aware- did not induce anyone to actually set up a new event. It's not so much the amount I object to - but the extent to which this measure, on its own, would result in any changed bevaviour.

The type of plan CARE is working on includes specific consultation with citizens having experience in organising cultural, artistic, entertainment and educational events, convincing them to hold some such events and contributing directly to these specific projects, depending on the magnitude and importance of the event or facility.

This plan is much more proactive, requiring the RA and Exectuive to work together as facilitators and social entrepreneurs rather than simply as providers of a general subsidy.

In short - the idea is right, but it needs more thought and a more comprehensive, detailed, effective approach. Should the argument arise that this type of planning is the domain of the Exxecutive and not the RA, whose job is to only provide funds and specify spending criteria and supervision standards, we would reply that public consultations with citizens and determining worthwhile projects is well within the range of the RA's duties. At the same time, we would not impose strict, mandatory limits on moneys to be allocated to any one event, but require the Executive to consult with the RA before awarding to any event an amount larger than, say, $600L.

Patroklus Murakami · Post by **Patroklus Murakami** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:44 am

The RA passed something similar in April but hamstrung the bill by only providing a budget for three months. The budget was then not promoted and, to the best of my knowledge, no requests were made on it.

This proposal is for six months, a reasonable period of time for the fund to work. If we are able to select a Chancellor on Sunday it will also be coming in as a new Chancellor takes office. The signal from the RA to the new Chancellor will be 'we take this issue seriously and are tasking you with publicising and utilising this budget'. There's nothing to stop us adding to this plan in the way that Michel suggest, but it's a start.

Arria Perreault · Post by **Arria Perreault** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:00 am

There are several ways to conduct a good politic in the domain of the culture. We can give few money to many projects or reserve a large amount for projects that have no chance or few chance to get a reward or to find any sponsor, but are considered as interesting. I much prefer the second way. It is clear that the selection of projects is subject for a discussion in the RA. In my point of view, the RA should have a member who will be specialized in cultural questions and can present the projects (or the different projects in competititon), a kind of minister of culture. The artists or cultural actors who asks for the money can also be non CDS-citizen. They have to ask themself (or their group) for the money giving a description of the project and a budget. With this politic, we could have the chance to attract good artists or performers using our beautiful sims or the developp great projects.
A good politic in the domain of the culture is not limited to the distribution of money. It gives good conditions for every cultural project: places, agenda, promotion. This part would be done by the Chancellor and the responsible of communication of the CDS.

Patroklus Murakami · Post by **Patroklus Murakami** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:53 am

Arria

Thank you for your suggestion:) I think you made a similar point during the CSDF election meeting when we discussed the idea of Foreign and Economics Ministers. We could indeed appoint a Culture Minister as you suggest with a remit to work towards reviving Culture and the Arts in the CDS. This could be part of the wider agenda for improving this aspect of CDS life which Michel has alluded to.

Gxeremio Dimsum · Post by **Gxeremio Dimsum** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:02 am

I actually kind of like the CSDF proposal. If, as Arria suggests, we have a choice between supporting a few large events or many small ones, then from the perspective of city revitilization the clear choice is many small ones. We want to give people the feeling that "there's always something interesting happening in the CDS", and give our merchants a continual stream of casual foot traffic. Also, with sim limitations we don't want an event so large that CDS citizens can't even get in the sim!

I personally feel that this small amount of money is best spent by paying for a greeter for one or both sims, who could answer questions, arrange use of public buildings, and be available for conversation. From my (albeit limited) experience running the Esperanto museum (pre-CDS) when we made an effort to staff it for most of the day, we saw much better results in terms of traffic and meaningful interaction with our content.

By the way, has anyone who is planning the new sim considered some kind of building that would straddle two sims and be useful for larger gatherings?

Arria Perreault · Post by **Arria Perreault** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:20 am

[quote="Gxeremio Dimsum":32prfhe8]By the way, has anyone who is planning the new sim considered some kind of building that would straddle two sims and be useful for larger gatherings?[/quote:32prfhe8]

I have proposed to build a monastery on the third sim. Ideally it would be a public place (it's mainly a question of money). This place would have several goals: welcoming area for newbies and new citizen, place for meeting and, of course, place for exhibitions.
Remember that the third sim will have a quiet big slope. It would hard to build an area for big affluence. Our best place for that remains, in my eyes, the wonderful theater of CN.

[quote="Gxeremio Dimsum":32prfhe8]I actually kind of like the CSDF proposal. If, as Arria suggests, we have a choice between supporting a few large events or many small ones, then from the perspective of city revitilization the clear choice is many small ones. We want to give people the feeling that "there's always something interesting happening in the CDS", and give our merchants a continual stream of casual foot traffic. Also, with sim limitations we don't want an event so large that CDS citizens can't even get in the sim!
[/quote:32prfhe8]

I agree that we have to encourage the organization of many events et for that good conditions should be given. The distribution of money is different. To get 400 L$ or 600 L$ will not make a big difference. I continue to think that encouragment to high quality projects is a better strategy. For example, if we encourage a project of exhibition, the money will be used to build the exhibition. The exhibition is also the opportunity to organize several events: debates, conferences, concerts, etc...

michelmanen · Post by **michelmanen** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:21 am

I agree with Arria. We do need a coherent and focused Cultural policy. That is why CARE puts Culture at the top of its list of priorties. We also set up an Events and Activities Taskforce headed by Princess, and an Education Taskforce to investigate setting up a virtual library in CDS, headed by Delia.

The money the RA awards should be distributed to make the biggerst difference where it counts. So CARE is in favor to give the Chancellor the flexibility to ecaluate each project and, dependingn on its importance and funding, decide how much money to allocate to each.

Beathan · Post by **Beathan** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:04 am

Pat --

I didn't misunderstand the purpose of the bill. It is just, as someone who has received honoraria, I never found them to be significant either as payment or as recognition. I would rather go down a different road for recognizing active citizens.

I certainly don't want to go down CARE's road as described and no redescreibed by Michel. That proposal, with involves the government at every stage of event planning and performance. would be a huge and unwarranted expansion of the government into areas of life in the CDS which are properly private.

Let's keep the private private -- and recognize people by some act of recognition, not by some easy and insignificant payment of a trifling sum.

Beathan

Bromo Ivory · Post by **Bromo Ivory** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:21 am

[quote="Beathan":jairom84]

Let's keep the private private -- and recognize people by some act of recognition, not by some easy and insignificant payment of a trifling sum.

[/quote:jairom84]

Hi Beathan -

I thinkt one needs to ask the Chancellor if one wants to use common areas for parties and such - so ... I don't think it is much different. If the Chancellor then says "Hey I can give you X amount to help defray personal costs in making a SIM wide party" whats the harm?

You don't need to ask for it.

Not seeing where the complication comes in ...

Arria Perreault · Post by **Arria Perreault** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:03 pm

[quote="michelmanen":3ky4fpu9] So CARE is in favor to give the Chancellor the flexibility to ecaluate each project and, dependingn on its importance and funding, decide how much money to allocate to each.[/quote:3ky4fpu9]

I think that the Chancellor can distribute small amounts of money to projects. For bigger projects, it is not a good way, mainly because the choice is a very subjective action. These projects should be discussed at the RA. The RA member who took the role of Minister of culture can present these projects and eventually give an advice.

[quote="Beathan":3ky4fpu9]Let's keep the private private -- and recognize people by some act of recognition, not by some easy and insignificant payment of a trifling sum.[/quote:3ky4fpu9]

What is a cultural policy for the CDS? Encourage our citizen to become cultural actor or encourage the cultural activities in our sims? Many people are more interested to participate to cultural activities then to organize them or to act as an artist.
SL is full of artists or cultural actor (museum curator, people working the education, ...) who are looking for opportunities to present their work or to build projects. My idea is to give our money to such people who can make high quality projects. Non CDS-citizen could also run to get an amount of money.

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Events Promotion Bill

Events Promotion Bill

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