Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

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ChaoticReality
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Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by ChaoticReality » Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:55 pm

Artists Facilities Meeting 9 Sep

Present: Nix, Jen, Pockets, Mike, Gandolf, Kate, Peter, Shoubik, Kata, Gareth, Ilaria, Elodie, Stephen the Hat, Ken S, Matthes, Al, Bradley, Lewis, Erik, Magda, Leona
Apologies: Marmot

Agenda Points:

1) The Cave & Forest Records
2) Workshop and Dark Room
3) Crafty Room
4) Silk Screen room
5) Balconies / The Hall

1) The Cave
Nix: Basically we have a blank canvas. Forest Fringe crew have re-done the room, painting, carpets etc.
Nix: Proposal: Revitalise the Cave as a Rehearsal Space and potential recording space
Gandolf: What about finance?
Nix: Just making plans, the "how" comes later.
Elodie: Recieved a message from someone offering to loan us some equipment (sound desk, bass amp, mics)
Nix: People who have loaned us equipment in the past have had it stolen or broken. Maybe speak to him and see if it is still cool. Maybe we can agree a "price" on the items. Would be crap if we got a nice desk and some muppet poured coke into it.
Stephen: Ties back in to having a "Cave Management" team.
Nix: Propose that one person is Bottom Liner with a team to help
Pockets: We should use real ID so people are forced to give it back and pay!
Peter: We were too lenient last time.
Mike: We could get nice stuff, keep it locked up and use it just for recording
Elodie: <list of equipment>
Gandolf: Certain equipment needs a sound-tech guy to use.
Al: Were there conditions attached to the loan?
Nix: We should check with him as it's a lot of equipment.
Pockets: Recording stuff was started well with the digital recorder.
Nix: We need to train more sound team and recording people
Gandolf: People will have to become more involved.
Matthes: What about the little cupboard?
Pockets: It's a little bit damp but that can be fixed
Al: We should decide what kind of studio we want. Could have a simple device just for tracking so people can just hit record.
Nix: Soundproofing would be important for studio. No cheap way of doing this. If we set it up as a recording room it will be less accessible as a rehearsal space.
Gandolf/Pockets: What about partitioning off a control room?
Nix: We don't need to focus on theif-proofing the room, but more about controlling access
Shoubik: We should make the cave more comfortable for new users, so that we get more people working in there. Putting more equipment could lessen accesibility as people will be scared to use it maybe?
Erik: What if we set up all this equipment and the guy loaning wants to take all his stuff away?
Gandolf: We would set up control room so equopment could be replaced
Pockets: SAC will give us funding.
Nix: Maybe we should just stick to a practice space due to soundproofing difficulties
Gandolf: What about only recording out of hours?
Nix: Proposal: Revitalise as a practice space and allow recording out-of-hours with a trained engineer. Not bother with control room etc.
Shoubik: Clarification: Done sound but wouldn't be confident using recording equipment
Nix: Response: We'll set out training with signed things to say "I know how to do X & Y"
Gandolf: And keep a list of these people in an obvious place
Nix: We need to expand the sound team. What about contacting colleges to see if people on sound courses can help us out.
Pockets: AP: Contact college.
Stephen: Do we need to bother contact the guy if we aren't going to go ahead with dedicated recording studio?
Most: Probably not.
Nix: Proposal: In the future, we take over a larger building where we can do recording and shit. Right now lets just make the Cave fucking brilliant rehearsal with odd bit of recording.

Nix: Ok, funding etc. Cave has bottom liner etc. Used to be Pockets.
Pockets: I don't have the time anymore, sorry.
Elodie: I can do it but I leave in December.
Proposal: Elodie to be bottom liner.
Nix: We decide Elodie's replacement at the AF meeting in November.

Nix: Ok, how do we make cave awesome?
Pockets: Acoustics are a priority. Bring back some carpet.
Magda: I have some nice carpet we can use.
Stephen: I have underlay and carpet not being used.
<Exit Peter and Kate>
Matthes: So we carpet all the walls and floors?
Nix: Not necessarily, just some of the walls. Behind drums etc.
Stephen: We're getting into specifics too much. Lets sort out the cave team and they can decide in a meeting.
Elodie: I'm on holiday for two weeks.
Erik: I will do acoustic preperation.
AP: Al to head up the team to "acoustically prepare the room" with assistance from Erik.
AP: Magda + Stephen will bring carpet.
AP: Erik will donate acoustic panels.

2) Workshop + Darkroom
Nix: We need to clean workshop et al first due to backing up of sewers and floor being covered in shit. We will need to store all the stuff in the Cave space so that will need to be renovated last.
Ilaria: Do we have active contact with DR co-ordinator as people want to use it.
Nix: On the BB etc but room shouldn't be used until sanitised
<Exit Pockets + Jen>
Stephen: We need to get the darkroom and workshop cleaned ASAP. Everything needs moved out and disinfected.
Matthes: I will bottom line this and we can have it done in 2 weeks if there are 4 people to help.
Nix: Proposal: It will be done in 2 weeks ready to start work on Cave.
Stephen: We should get people who want to use cave/workshop/darkroom to help with the cleanup and restoration.
Matthes: Can we multitask?
Nix: No because of contamination etc and "dirty" people and "clean" people might trip over each other etc.
Ken: We should rod the second drain and can potentially do it on Sunday.
Matthes&Nix: We'll be here Sunday.
Matthes: Who else do we have to help with the cleanout?
Mike: I will help when I am back next week.
Leona&Erik&Stephen&Shoubik: We'll help when we can.
Gandolf: Safety gear is important due to nature of environment. I can lend some stuff to someone. Wellies etc.
Mike: Can forest spring for some safety gear? Industrial gloves etc.
Stephen: Probably. I will check with admins.
Ken: We maybe need one suit for people doing the "wet work".
Gandolf: Wellies are important.
Various: We have wellies to use/lend.
Matthes: We need a budget for repairing workshop and darkroom. Repainting, repairing soaked shelves etc.
Stephen: That's probably for discussion after cleanup is done.
AP: Ilaria will contact darkroom guy to sort out what is happening there.
Mike: AOB for this agenda item?
Stephen: We need to work with Dan to do similar with DR as with Cave.
AP: Matthes will write up budget proposal.

3) Crafty Room
Nix: Crafty room is not under our remit. Falls under Action WG.
Mike: WTF? Does not make sense.
Nix: CR was designed originally for workshops and foresty stuff. Action WG took it on as an alternative to private rental. Maybe it should be AF but we can't decide that here.
Ilaria: More room for drama people now, can they shift their crap out of the lockable room so it can be used for bands storage and stuff?
Nix: That needs to be discussed at Action WG and can flag it up with FWG meeting soon.

4) Silk Screen Room
Stephen: We made shit over the festival. It was good. We sold them! Hooray! A few techy points to cover with Kim and Ken regarding boiler room etc. Hopefully will be open soon as a public access workshop by induction. Lots of work coming up including painting walls and floor and setting up equipment so it can be used for lots of things (posters, artwork, tshirts, etc)
Nix: How long will it require and does it need money?
Stephen: Painting part requires 2 days and some money for paint?
Mike: Is it flooded with shit like the workshop?
Stephen: It's been cleaned already and more cleaning will be done.
Shoubik: Could we use it for storage while we clean workshop?
Stephen: No, it's too small.
Nix: So what needs done?
Stephen: We have to get ventilation and boiler stuff sorted otherwise we can't use boiler which needs to go back on in 1-2 months. Ventilation needs ducted etc.
Nix: AF needs to put money towards this.
Ken/Stephen: No, it probably falls under buidling maintainence.
Elodie: Lynne asked me to say about Forest budget and they have priorities like roof.
Various: Boiler is a priority or Forest will freeze to death!
Stephen: If people are interested in getting more involved, there is a silkscreen BB thread/section.
Gandolf: Who is bottom liner?
Stephen: Me. I will put more info and stuff on the BB.
Nix: Can SS room be done in conjunction with workshop repairs.
Stephen: Probably not as it is different stuff to be done.

5) Balconies / Hall
Stephen: Balconies overview
Nix: Marmot was bottom lining, can't do it any more, proposed I did it.
Elodie/Mike: Object!
Gandolf: Can we talk about what space is used for first?
Stephen: Organ side is more open and there are complaints of stuff going missing. There is a proposal that organ side workshops are closed and that space is used for Forest storage, Dorkbot etc.
Nix: Complaints of theft from both sides, we need better locks.
Gandolf: And a partition to stop jumping between sides.
Nix: Carmen has just moved into her preferred spot and is the only person who has consistently paid rent so it would be bad to move her.
Mike: Why not punt out one of the non-paying people?
Gandolf: Does she have a problem with theft etc?
Nix: Not especially, quite easy going. I'm maybe going to give up my studio for dorkbot space but going to ask them about freeing up organ by making installation temporary.
Matthes: They are working on making it removable but would be best to leave it with them for a while.
Elodie: It would be nice if Forest had a technical space for use with tech stuff storage, repair etc.
Nix: Good idea. There's always been the lighting area there which has always been reserved for tech stuff. My idea is equipment stored on organ balcony and other techy stuff on the other side.
Various: Some trivial discussion about placing of mixing desk.

Nix: Some people are not so sure about using the upstairs and would like to use just cafe and downstairs. As AF WG we should make the space rock.
Ken: My understanding is that if we lose the upper bit, our tenancy downstairs would be at risk.
Magda: We have one of the best spaces in Edinburgh, we should use it and make it awesome.
Nix: We have been slowly stockpiling equipment (desk, piano, backline) and when it is all done, we can have it set up as a gig venue and people will pay to use it.
Magda: All the infrastructure (metals bars etc) will soon belong to us. My lights and stuff can be left and used provided there is somewhere to store them but I would only be happy if they are used by certain people and trained people.
Matthes: The area needs organised better. Cables everywhere etc.
Al: Place is crawling with theives.
Nix: No it isn't. It's a community space.
Al: We need solid lockable boxes. Equipment is all over the shop. I've had stuff stolen. <Angry rant>
Stephen: Totally valid point but needs discussed elsewhere. Back to balconies and hall.
Stephen: Proposal is that there are 3 studios that will remain and 1 studio for Carmen. The front studio(?) will be converted into a space for Forest storage and sound/light desk/control.
Matthes: To make it usable, we need to have a standard setup of lights and stuff rather than putting all the lights away. The profilers are Magda's so can't be left set up. There's not really much room for storage and lights and everything.
Nix: I will move back a bit to free up some space.
Matthes: We could put some stuff in the step in front of Gareth's studio.
Various: Good plan.
AP: Nix to speak to bike generator workshop and Forest bikes and see if we can cancel them because we don't have space.
Nix: I would like a permanent sound desk up in balcony.
Shoubik: We would need to guarantee two people there for doing sound if this is the case with desk.
Mike: Do we need to ask FWG about paying sound engineers if they are staying late?
Nix: Plan is that if anything using a PA on past 11 will have the paid event manager from the sound team.
Stephen: Can we secure stuff downstairs?
Various: Probably not. Damage/spillage etc.
Nix: We maybe can leave the desk downstairs and have it taken away at the end of the shift. I would prefer that it was upstairs. I will move my studio back a bit and maybe vacate for Dorkbot.
AP: Gandolf to contact Dorkbot to convey about more space and making the organ installation removable.
Stephen: Can we use space from bikes for Dorkbot?
Nix/Matthes: No, we need it for sound/lighting.
Gandolf: We need to keep at least one step clear for walking about, fire exit etc.
Mike: The balcony security light needs fixed and re-hooked up in kitchen.
Stephen: Could we have a light for each room so from kitchen it can be seen if rooms are empty?
Nix: Pointless. Night Managers should be checking every room anyway.

6) Any other business?
Nix: We need Sound Team work day soon. Maybe during Cave Restoration?
Various: What about lights in hall? Is there training?
Mike: Can we extend the Sound Team to a technical team?
Various: Good idea!
Nix: Ok who is bottom lining the balconies? I was proposed.
Elodie: Me and Mike can do it.
Nix: I would only be responsible for studios. Seperate bottom liner for tech side of things.
Mike: Me and Elodie will happily bottom line the tech side of things.
<Consensus Type Thing>
Nix: Previously we've allowed bottom liner for balconies to decide who gets space, do we still allow that?
Various: We should have rules. E.g. If someone doesn't pay rent for X months, they lose the slot to someone else.
Elodie: What do we do if someone pays but doesn't use the studio?
Nix: We can gently remind them that the idea of the space is to be involved and to be involved with Foresty things.
Gandolf: We can maybe give warning about storage. E.g. one month notice.
Nix: Lynne is having to write down hours and activites for Operating Plan (LA (S) 2005) and so we need to have time limits. No-one in building after close.
Matthes: I am nocturnal, this would suck.
Various: Some chat about security

Nix: Ok, how do we decide who gets the space?
Mike: People who have studios at present keep them. If people don't pay rent for 2 months, they get a month's notice to clear out so someone else can use the space.
Gandolf: The same should apply to people using for storage.
Nix: One studio will probably become vacant soon.
Shoubik: Do we need clearer guidlines about storage for if people are away etc?
Mike: I don't think so as it will be obvious if a studio has been used for art, rather than just storage space.
Nix: We need a sort of "info pack" for new balcony applicants saying what we offer, what we want etc.
Stephen: We can discuss these things further on the BB. No discussions about individuals but general rules and stuff is ok. Discussions on individual studios can be done in the monthly AFWG meetings.
Various: Discussions about studio rentees being part of the Forest art stuff. Maybe painting murals on the walls and stuff. To be discussed with VA WG.
Mike

Dawnsio 'mlaen i'r gwres prynhawn a rwy'n addo erbyn yfori byddai wedi mynd, hwyl fawr i pawb, hwyl fawr i pawb...

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dan
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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by dan » Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:27 am

Great minutes, sorry I couldn't make it.
Ken: My understanding is that if we lose the upper bit, our tenancy downstairs would be at risk.
don't understand that though, is there any back up for this idea?
Our big brother's got no heart,
when I get my chance I'm going to punch him in the nose, in the nose, in the nose

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milk
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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by milk » Thu Sep 10, 2009 6:01 pm

"Some people are not so sure about using the upstairs and would like to use just cafe and downstairs"

that was on the table as an option last year - if it is again, it would be nice if they discussed such ideas at least within the FWG!
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graeme
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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by graeme » Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:26 pm

There isn't really a Forest bikes any more since we stopped lending out bikes.
A few of us still do bike maintenance and the workshop will be the best place to do this when it has been tidied.
I've helped tidy the workshop before (haven't we all?) and will be happy to do so again.

G x

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milk
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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by milk » Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:35 am

Nix: CR was designed originally for workshops and foresty stuff. Action WG took it on as an alternative to private rental. Maybe it should be AF but we can't decide that here.

Ilaria: More room for drama people now, can they shift their crap out of the lockable room so it can be used for bands storage and stuff?


the drama group is a forest workshop so i don't see any issue with them using the space, though i do agree they've cluttered up the cupboard more than they should have. that and other workshops need to be aware they should be able to use the room and storage space.

also, what is meant by "bands storage"?
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nix
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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by nix » Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:25 pm

Bands Storage, is a facility that I think we need to somehow provide.. If a band is playing in the cafe, they need a place to put their instruments ect.

the lockable cupboard in the crafty might be the answer.

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Re: Artists Facilities WG Meeting - 9th September - Minutes

Post by milk » Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:41 pm

cool, good idea. lockable cupboard - is that the cupboard on the left of the toilet?
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