Gallery action update

At lunchtime today there was a Gallery group meeting, which was attended by seven of us. At times, a little chaotic, but Fiona managed to pull us back into line more than once. What matters on such occasions is what action, if any, is likely to follow?  Well, here is a list:

The opening exhibition is going to continue until Saturday 19 June 2010 and then taken down on Tuesday 22 June. Robert's 'Living History' display will open on Saturday 26 June and continue until the following Saturday 3 July and come down on Tuesday 6 July, with a new exhibition opening on Saturday 10 July.

Alongside the Living History display, there will be a Nottingham City Council Planning Department display about the future of the New and Old Lenton conservation areas. We are also trying to organise a display of Lenton and Nottingham photographs for the same period.

The 'July 2010' exhibition which follows for the rest of the month has yet to be decided and Fiona is going to ask for ideas from volunteers and others on the Gallery email list over the next week or so whilst she is away. The proposals received will then be emailed to all contacts for them to decide.

Beyond July, the aim is try and plan on a monthly basis, with people submitting proposals to Fiona, who will then decide how and when Gallery space is allocated, unless she chooses to delegate that role to a named volunteer. Everyone at the meeting agreed that Fiona and volunteers should take on specific duties and be supported by all the others involved. None of us want to sit around in endless committee meetings.

The meeting agreed that Fiona will have sole responsibility for making any decision in relation to a complaint about an exhibit.

It was also agreed to ask exhibitors in future exhibitions to donate 15% of the sale price of any exhibit  to The Crocus Gallery via the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum. The Gallery needs to generate income to help pay running costs and this is one way to help achieve this objective. Another option is to hire out the Gallery to third parties in return for a booking donation.  The overwhelming feeling of those present was that the Gallery is intended an open community art space and that bookings to third parties need to be managed in a way which does not undermine this aim.  Until we receive the first request for such a booking and an idea of how much income this might generate, it is impossible to know how this policy will impact of open community displays. At the end of the day we need the money.

Robert is '90% optimistic' that Councillor Dave Trimble will come up with a deal which gives us at least one year in the shop, followed by another year if we can raise the agreed rent (yet to be determined). This will give us and the Crocus Café two years to come up with a financially viable long-term plan, assuming we decide to work together. By any measure, a fair deal and a great opportunity.

We also agreed no notices or plants in the windows, except for a notice in the door detailing opening hours and contact details (blog and Facebook links, Forum telephone no.) and to review opening hours at the end of June, We need someone to take responsibility for the volunteer rota to enable the Gallery to open 12–6pm Tuesday–Saturday. At present, Fiona looks after the rota. If you would like to help contact her via the Forum office.

Two hours of hard slog made me realise why I now avoid committees. Looking at the list of email contacts, we may well be Lenton's first digital community group.