January 8, 2017 Zimfest Association Board Meeting Synopsis
Members in Attendance: Rujeko Dumbutshena, Jacqueline Fallon, Chris Halaska, Claire Jones, Tapiwa Kapurura, Dana Moffett, Daniel Lockley, Evelyn Mukwedeya, David Simon, Janis Weeks
Members Absent: Alex Weeks
Review/Modify Agenda
Done by email
Minutes/Synopsis
November approved, December minutes by email, get January out this week
Board Engagement Suggestions (All)
Minutes/Synopsis Review Discussion: Jacqueline will send minutes and synopsis out within the week for review. The board will review and approve within one week of receiving the minutes and synopsis. Start agenda right after the meeting for the next meeting for board to add to. Will establish regular check-in points and timeline to help keep on track with small group tasks and other tasks.
Zimfest 2018 Site Discussion and Next Steps (All)
Review Community Responses to ZA Call for Interest in Hosting 2018 Zimfest https://zimfest.org/blog/2016/za-call-for-interest-in-hosting-2018-zimfest/ — There was a response about Linfield college, however, a past site search identified Linfield as too expensive on a per person basis. There was a response that WOU was good. Let’s reserve August 9-12, 2018 for WOU, Claire will contact Don Boderman to make sure that we are on the calendar, lets look at the value of repeating a site and try to announce 2019 (or following year) dates, how are we going to go about planning when we don’t have a paid coordinator this year? What will the timeline look like? Discussion around reinstating festival coordinator, use of interns, community shadowing, training others to have a bigger pool of people to draw from. Have time commitments spelled out to help recruit volunteers, small groups on festival structure and volunteer group to look at festival coordinator position
Zimfest 2019 – Potential Dates at PLU (Claire)
PLU has advised that the last weekend of June or first weekend of July are available for 2019. Board agreed to reserve July dates for now. Will ask when the initial deposit is needed by – in case the board decides to run Zimfest every other year (to be discussed as part of the 2017 priorities), we will need the flexibility to cancel the reservation before a financial commitment is required.
Update on Treasurer’s Report (Janis)
Finishing the festival accounting. 8 membership renewals and a donation came in via Paypal before the end of the calendar year in response to the board’s appeal.
Update on Annual Membership Drive and GoFundMe Research (Daniel)
Maybe send another membership reminder out in the middle of the year. GoFundMe allows people to raise money for 5 things at a time and donations are considered tax deductible. What are the areas that we should be focusing on raising money for?
Discussion on 2017 Priorities and Rough Milestone/Task Calendar (All)
Develop and understand the Zimfest timeline and calendar
Tech. Committee
Currently building the team
Marketing
Will provide an update at next meeting
Financial Discussion
Annual fundraising calendar to work on activities each year, making sure that we don’t forget about increasing festival participation helps with sustainability, what is the feasible size of the festival? This topic interplays with other small groups like festival structure. Western States Folklore grant for any arts organization in the western states is a matching grant to bring in an artist, apply a year and a half ahead of time with specific location. If we go for a known attractive Zimbabwean group that would also help bring people in. The group must also give a free community outreach concert. Deadline is in April and the application isn’t out yet. Can we make it simply by supporting the groups that we know that continually come to Zimfest instead of research and book new ones? Continue Project Kudzana fundraising efforts that we introduced last year for April.
Festival Structure
Check with other camps and festivals on their structure. Tumbuka was limited in number by space but knew what the ideal size for making the money that they needed. Will report more findings next time.
Volunteer
Will be reviewing the task lists and schedule of tasks of the volunteer roles that we currently have to identify areas of improvement. A volunteer spotlight could be used to recognize volunteers and use that to inspire others to volunteer. We have had drawings to recognize people during the evening concerts at the festival – this should be continued.
Next Meeting
February 12th
I notice only 8 membership renewals were received in response to your appeal. I also noticed I would have to fill out a long form again to renew. Could there be a way to simplify this process if there is no data change from the prior year? Would it be more effective to send an electronic “invoice” to each of last year’s members for a renewal with no data change, and a link if there is a data change?
I enthusiastically agree with you Bruce! The renewal process should be simple.
I’m interested to know if the grant mentioned would cover bringing a musician from Zimbabwe, or just the US. In 2018, MBIRA is tentatively planning to bring the leader of the Dzapasi Mbira Group, Cainot Gweremwezhe, but we don’t yet have the funds to make it happen. He’s a charismatic performer of mbira, singing, hosho, dance (and likely more that I don’t yet know). He would be an outstanding addition to Zimfest!
Yes, Erica, the TourWest grants cover bringing a musician or group from anywhere, that’s why we are hoping to apply for one.
Claire
Great! Let me know if you want to collaborate on bringing Gweremwezhe.