Board of Directors
safespace/Forum is SEEKING NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO SHARE OUR VALUES, EXPAND UPON OUR WORK, AND ENSURE LONG-TERM EQUITY WITHIN MEDIA DISTRIBUTION.
What is safespace/Forum?
Safe Space* is a term coined during the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s-1970s as a means of providing a creative physical space in which to occupy and express marginalized voices.
*Zorach, Rebecca. Art for People’s Sake: Artists and Community in Black Chicago, 1965-1975. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2019, p. 37.
safespace/Forum is a production company telling community stories through events, performances, and content that reflect the values of the Black Arts movement:
- claiming spaces for interaction within the community for performance, exhibition, and gathering
- depicting community members in art
- giving voices to community concern
safespace/Forum combines these values with the Neo-Futuristic aesthetic, maintaining commitment to truth, brevity, risk, and transformation.
Our Projects
- safespace/Forum produces Hearts, Minds, Humanity with Dr. Toni Solaru, an “MSNBC-style” talk series discussing the ongoing topical issues in healthcare, politics, and activism. Our short film Is Tomorrow Wednesday? Is currently available for streaming on OTV (Open Television) and soon available on TUBI.
- safespace/Forum is currently producing Moscato, a magazine-style series featuring short plays, interviews, and performances highlighting Chicago based writers, performing artists, and culture bearers recorded at CanTV.
- safespace/Workshop is a five (5) week series of media screenings and writing workshops documenting the experimental process of learning, writing, and crafting performance works to raise funds as safespace/Forum gains 501c3 status.
Where We Need You?
We are seeking people passionate about using performance art for social change. Where do we need help? Covering the basics to ensure that we are able to provide consistent opportunities for marginalized Writers, Performance Artists, and Culture Bearers. Any and all skills/experience in the following are welcomed:
- Events and Engagement – Connecting to local Chicago businesses, venues, and social spaces for opportunities to produce diverse events, performances, screenings, and workshops.
- Merchandising and Printing – Developing merchandise opportunities including companion zines and print material for corresponding productions
- Financial Management – Financial planning, budgeting investment management, and fiduciary as we strive to gain and maintain nonprofit status and ensure equity amongst all involved.
- Education – Providing access to educational tools, stipends, and resources for ongoing workshops and CanTV Producer training.
- Public Relations And Communications – Creating branding opportunities with press, entertainment industry organizations, unions, professional organizations.
What Does Board Membership Look Like:
THE BOARD’S PRIMARY FUNCTIONS
- Attend and actively participate in all Board meetings (in-person or virtually)
- Help raise adequate funds to support the work of the organization and determine and employ long-term financial strategies.
- Attend special events and promote these events and work to increase attendance to your best ability.
- Consult on hiring new staff and collaborators
- Identify and resolve issues that affect operations.
- Serve as an ambassador for safespace/Forum by promoting the company whenever possible, particularly by identifying and hosting potential new audience members, grants, partnerships, subscribers, donors, and board members.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
- A front row seat to studio recordings, live events, and innovative, unconventional storytelling
- The opportunity to collaborate with exciting local performing artists and cultural community members
- The acquisition of new skills, new contacts, and a deeper pool of experience upon which to draw in your professional life.
- Recognition in print and digital media assets
- Equity split of corresponding distribution rights and royalties where applicable
ESSENTIALS:
- Commit to four (4) quarterly standing Board meetings per year (2 hours each)
- Support through annual Board dues ($500) and/or other in-kind contributions
- Respond to additional meetings as scheduled for time-sensitive Quorum votes.
- Attend Fundraiser for the final quarter of each fiscal year.
GET INVOLVED!
Excited about joining our Board of Directors? Send Fred an email to hello.safespaceforum@gmail.com including:
Name
How You Heard About This Opportunity
How SS/F Would Benefit From Your Experience?
Your Favorite Performance of Anything
Phone Number
Best Time to Call
