BurlyCon Nonprofit Annual Report 2012

Transcription

1 BurlyCon Nonprofit Annual Report 2012 BURLYCON

2 1 Message from The Board We members of the Board of Directors are delighted to have you in attendance at BurlyCon's fifth annual convention. It is our first year as a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization. The Board is new, young, and growing, and we want to hear from you, and share with you the work we have done thus far. BURLYCON S VALUES: We value burlesque as a feminist, humanist, and uniquely American performance art form that has global influence and expression. We re committed to supporting the growth, health, and multicultural diversity of the international burlesque community. We seek to ensure affordability and accessibility of continuing education in our art form. Miss Dirty Martini ACTIVITIES: Since our inception we have worked towards burlesque arts educational goals and this year we have received nonprofit status in order to better reach our potential. We worked with ShunPike to create our community values and mission statement. We continued to offer four days of education and networking opportunities OBJECTIVES: In the coming year, we re working to grow the educational influence of BurlyCon in the burlesque community. We hope to continue to reach new members and academics. We also have a desire to begin a Library or Book/Paper Collection. Warmly, Julie Atlas Muz Jo "Boobs" Weldon, Miss Indigo Blue, Red Delicious, Sandy Beaches, The Shanghai Pearl

3 2 BurlyCon Organizational Mission BurlyCon is a community-oriented professional growth and educational convention for Burlesque performers, fans, and aficionados. We conduct educational events to preserve, promote, and advance Burlesque as a Theatrical Art form. We offer classes, workshops, panels, and other educational offerings that further professional skill and development. We are committed to supporting personal transformation through creative artistic expression in the Burlesque Arts Annual BurlyCon Conference BurlyCon is the burlesque community s educational and social convention. It is a chance to discuss our collective passions and concerns without the looming call, 10 minutes! It is an opportunity to talk to each other, learn from each other, and play together. BurlyCon would not be possible without the amazing 25+ members of the volunteer steering committee. Special thanks to our day-of-event volunteers, in-kind donors, sponsors, advertisers, and vendors! With over 45 presenters, 100 workshops, 16 caucuses and 4 full days of programming we re proud to present the richest burlesque educational offerings in the world. To build community, we presented festive activities, including our delicious Meet & Greet cocktail party, attempted the World s Largest Fan Dance for the Guinness World Record, totally deep Under the Deep Blue Sea dance party, and hilarious pajama Movie Night with David Schmader! We had three fantastic Guests of Honor; Lottie the Body, Dirty Martini, and Julie Atlas Muz. Birds of a Feather Caucuses We added the Birds of a Feather Caucuses, which provided attendees the ability to meet like-minded burlesquers on the first night! Guinness World Record Attempt One of this year s BurlyCon highlights was the successful attempt to break a Guinness World Record for Largest Fan Dance. This feat was accomplished by 252 dancers in traditional costume waving their feather fans to Beethoven s Fifth Symphony for a full five minutes. The attempt took place at the ballroom of the Doubletree Hotel on the second day of BurlyCon. Volunteers stationed outside made sure all fans and costumes were on par with Guinness requirements before people were let in (specifically, fans had to be within the 12 to 50 range). As the eager participants

4 3 walked into the ballroom, volunteers did an official head count, not including official volunteers, videographers, and photographers (of which I was one). Over the next half hour people streamed in with giant fans, small fans, and everything in between. Though the dancers successfully met the Guinness requirements for setting a record on the first attempt, a second successful attempt was made as a backup. The next official step in the record-setting process is to send all evidence to Guinness and wait for official confirmation. Supporting Transformation Through Self-Expression Because of its DIY creation process, burlesque is a powerful tool for personal transformation through artistic self-expression. Both panels and classes address personal growth by focusing on mental and physical health, disability, sexuality, body dysmorphia and other personal challenges that can be explored, expressed, and manipulated through burlesque performance while creating an emotional experience for the audience. The goal is to offer ways to use burlesque for healing and growth on both individual and societal levels. Developing Professionals in the Field Burlesque artists range from part-time hobbyists to full-time professional performers. BurlyCon addresses professional development for performers and producers at all levels. Newer performers learn how to get their first bookings, address stage fright, and prepare for a show. Those who have chosen to make burlesque a part of their income receive vital support for the financial and business challenges that face all performing artists. Classes on budgeting, event production, contract negotiation, promotions, and professional conduct elevate the ability of burlesque performers to earn an income from their work. It also secures the future of the art form, improving the professionalism and draw of burlesque events and making burlesque financially viable for major producers. Activities beyond the Convention Seattle Pride Parade BurlyCon was once again actively engaged in GLBTQ Pride activities, and over 25 participants marched with the BurlyCon contingent in the Seattle Pride Parade. Marchers carried Seattle Queer Burlesque, Seattle Burlesque Community, and BurlyCon Burlesque Convention banners in the parade. Thanks for marching, holding banners, and being fabulous! Burlesque Hall of Fame Finishing School For the fifth year, BurlyCon produced Legends Classes at the Burlesque Hall of Fame annual Pageant and Reunion. Curated by Jo Boobs Weldon, classes were offered with many or our legends.

5 4 Statement of Activities BurlyCon s nonprofit revenue comes from weekend pass sales, individual donations, sales of BurlyCon merchandise, and BurlyBar revenue. Program Expenses include costs of hotel rental, advertising, travel expenses, office equipment, software, web hosting and maintenance, and events equipment. Management and General Expenses include payroll, instructors and guest of honor stipends, office equipment, committee and board meals, and software/hardware. Balance Sheet Summary (in thousands) Assets Liabilities Total Net Assets Revenues Grants $0 Contributions $8,712 Program Revenues $66,034 Interest $8 Net Assets Released from Restrictions $0 TOTAL REVENUE $74,754 Temporarily restricted Expenses BurlyCon Conference (PE) $30,477 Management and General Expenses (MGE) $23,701 TOTAL EXPENSE $54,178 Temporarily Restricted Funds $0 Change in Net Assets $20,576 Full financials are available upon request (ad@burlycon.org). This Work Needs Your Help BurlyCon is organized by a predominantly volunteer-run Steering Committee. We strive to keep our annual conference as affordable and accessible as we can while working to expand our programs and services. As a 501(c)(3) organization, BurlyCon can accept donations in any amount at any time for the continuation of our programs and services. The full amount of donations will be tax deductible. Donors receive a receipt by the end of the year to include in tax documents. Please consult a tax professional if there are further questions.

6 5 Creative Contributions Any donation is appreciated, welcome, and necessary to help us meet the needs of our growing organization. Donors have created their own Burly-Scholarship or applied funds directly to helping us in one specific area. We are happy to craft a creative contribution that meets your funding desires. Donations by mail may always be made to: BurlyCon, PO Box 18373, Seattle, WA Sponsorship Opportunities We have many sponsorship opportunities with rates ranging from $100 to $10,000 with many benefits, including media pushes, web links, event attendance, logo usage, and special burlesque performances. More information is available on the Sponsor section of our Website. Scholarships BurlyCon grants 5 full and 5 partial weekend pass scholarships per year based on an application review process. Volunteer and Make a Difference Not everyone can make a financial contribution and some people need some assistance with your registration fees. BurlyCon maintains an extensive volunteer program, including offering 15 full-pass exchange spots for volunteer-attendees. o o o Volunteer pre- BurlyCon put in 40 hours of work pre- Con and you get a free Registration Volunteer during BurlyCon put in 16 hours of service work during the Convention and you get a free registration Volunteer just because you want to! So many opportunities to help your community! Please visit our website at opportunities to learn more and to register yourself as a potential willing and able Burly Volunteer! Wish Lists BurlyCon maintains an Amazon Wish List of in-kind goods, services, and products. We always need plates, compostable/disposable cutlery, compostable/disposable cups, lights, pipe and drape, cords, coffee, and much more. We are particularly in need of registration equipment such as ipads, and presentation equipment such as Projectors, and tax deductions for tangible donations. We also accept in-kind donations of goods such as snacks for hospitality, decorations for events, and more. We are committed to providing allergen-free sustenance to our attendees in the Hospitality room and are always in need of items like gluten free granola, bread, almond butter, juice, or other healthy and tasty snack items. Our wish list: BurlyCon's Amazon Wish List

7 6 Looking Forward Board: We hope to grow our board with two more members in the next year. This will enable us to receive certain tax deductions, expand our organizational knowledge and power, and continue our regional representation efforts. Planning: We will begin the work toward collecting books and papers archiving the history and continued culture of burlesque. THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS, IN-KIND DONORS, AND BENEFACTORS Our Generous Sponsors, In-Kind Donors, and Benefactors: Jacqueline Hyde, Highway 99 Rhythm & Blues Revue, House of Gorejess, Fancy Feather, Pinky Shines Design, The Triple Door, Brown Paper Tickets, Babeland, The Pinup Angels, Northwest Folklife Festival, The Vera Project, KIND, Wiggle Perfume & Sundries, Dave, Melissa Flynn s Suite Shop, Atomic Cosmetics, Archie McPhee s, Display & Costume, Las Vegas Burlesque Classes, Sock Dreams, Oly Vegan, Justin s Nut Butter, Stripped Screw, TUSH! Bur-lesque, Pop Chips, ShunPike, the Doubletree SeaTac Hotel, and anyone we may have missed. THANK YOU.