What is FIGMENT?
FIGMENT is an outdoor, totally free, family-friendly, performing and visual arts festival in a public park where nothing is for sale and you can play with all the art. Entirely organized and managed by volunteers, FIGMENT provides all members of the community
- whether young or just young at heart - a chance to create, to engage, to learn, and to play together.
It's about building community, one smile at a time.
On September 27 and 28, 2014, we seek to return to the beautiful park space around the Anacostia Park Skating Pavillion.
We need YOU to help us make it a reality!
FIGMENT DC is part of the
FIGMENT Project, a global organization that provides opportunities for artists to engage with one another in cities from New York to Geelong, Australia. Each event is organized by a team of local volunteers who come together to help bring the magic of
FIGMENT to their city.
In 2013,
FIGMENT DC found a new home in Anacostia Park, and we're thrilled to return to this beautiful park again this September. We can't wait to see art projects pop up between the trees and stretch as far as the eye can see. There is so much room to play!
Why FIGMENT?
FIGMENT is guided by 11 Principles, among them Inclusion, Self-Expression, Communal Effort, and Gratitude. To learn more about the 11 Principles, check out our website
here.
FIGMENT helps to provide opportunities for emerging artists in communities around the world, makes art accessible to the community, and provides an alternative to the branding and commercialism that has come to define so much of society. It encourages active
participation by kids and adults, instead of passive spectatorship, and helps build community among urban residents. FIGMENT exists to share imagination and invention between artists and the public.
We work with each other to strengthen the bonds of the community around us. You can learn more about the impetus behind FIGMENT
here.
Our Campaign
FIGMENT DC is free to the public, volunteer managed, and does not accept any corporate sponsorhip. And unlike many arts events in Washington, we don't sell tickets or charge artists to participate! FIGMENT is open to everyone. Free, free, free!
Well.... except that there are few pesky charges that we still need to cover. And that's why we're reaching out to you today.
Boring things like insurance ($1000); police, National Park Service staff, and overnight security ($1500 to $2200) cost money. So do stage, generator, and equipment rental - in fact, it's because of the generous donations of so many
people in our community over the years that we've been able to keep this budget ($3000) as low as we have. Add on things like printing ($250), truck rentals ($350), and portajohn rentals ($550), and the budget ticks up, bit by bit. We've learned a lot in the
past two years, and we're adjusting our budget where we can. But we can only cut so much.
The above outlines the details of our $6750 tipping point, which reflects the bare minimum we'll need to raise to move forward with planning this year's event. This is an
all-or-nothing level, so reaching this will ensure that FIGMENT DC will happen. If we do not reach this goal, FIGMENT will not receive
any donations pledged through this campaign.
During our crowdfunding campaign last year, we raised just under $5000 from generous donors (see our campaign
here). We filled in the extras through ongoing fundraising efforts throughout the year, including SPARK, an event that included a silent auction and raffle. This year, we want to focus on community events such as park clean-ups and artists workshops, as
well as community outreach events in Anacostia. We want to host events where we can create together and daydream with YOU about ways to participate in FIGMENT.
With your help, we can raise the money we need now so we can focus on building community and expanding creativity later.
So we're diving in big here. We encourage you to explore the great collection of awesome rewards we have to offer you to thank you for your generous donations!
Through your tax deductible donation, you can help us demonstrate that we have the community support we need. If you believe in FIGMENT and the postive impact that such an event can have on the community, please support us today!
Moreover, please spread the word about FIGMENT to your friends and family. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate!
