Think about this...
1) More Americans identify as artists than as lawyers, doctors, or police officers... There are at least 2 million of us! (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
2) Since 2009, 80% of arts organizations in NY are reducing their budgets and more than 50% are reducing staff and canceling programs. (source: Alliance for the Arts 2009)
3) Meanwhile, sharing is on the rise. As The Economist put it, "What do you do when you are green, broke and connected? You share."
4) OurGoods exists because more work gets done in networks of mutual respect and shared resources than in competitive isolation. By working together, members of OurGoods build lasting ties in communities of enormous potential.
How is OurGoods funded?
Three years ago, I applied for the first round of ERPA funding for the idea that became OurGoods.org. With three years of mentorship and financial support from The Field backing OurGoods up, I'm teaching a class at The New School called Barter: The Social Practice of Non-Monetary Exchange. If you're interested in reading more about barter and following the class from the blog, go to http://barterclass.tumblr.com/. Also, we just received $100,000 from The Rockefeller Foundation and will be running an analog version of OurGoods as part of Creative Time's Living as Form show. For a schedule of events there, and appointments for barter advice, check out: http://ourgoods.org/events/ourgoods_living_as_form
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