Local nonprofit the Nashville Community Darkroom has only one week left in its all-or-nothing fundraising campaign, and needs the help of the Nashville community to put it over the top.
Having relaunched its Kickstarter campaign after an initial strong effort, the Nashville Community Darkroom has been working furiously to raise sufficient funds to secure its east Nashville space and begin construction this fall, with the hope of opening its doors to Nashville students and the community in earlier 2014. Offering rewards including high-quality archival prints, postcards, t-shirts, stickers, introductory classes, memberships, photo sessions, and more, the NCD is well on its way to meeting its goal (it’s over 90% of the way there) but needs the support of the Nashville community over the next week to put it over the top.
Once built, the Nashville Community Darkroom will serve two main purposes: First, it will be a professionally equipped darkroom, workspace, and gallery that members can use for personal and professional projects. Monthly rates will be set at prices affordable for students, hobbyists, and starving artists, and members will have card-based unrestricted access to the space.
Second, the Nashville Community Darkroom will work with local schools and nonprofit organizations to offer arts education, focused on film photography, portraiture, traditional processes, the business of photography, and more.
The plan is for the NCD both to send volunteers into local schools to teach, but also for students to come work in the darkroom, gaining hands-on experience and the chance to build a portfolio and exhibit. The Nashville Community Darkroom is incorporated as a Tennessee nonprofit, and is currently applying for federal nonprofit status. It will be located in the Main Street area of east Nashville, and will house a darkroom/wet lab with 15-20 enlargers (including several large-format enlargers), film-loading closets, classroom space, lighted workspace, and a small gallery. The Nashville Community Darkroom will be member-supported, but will also rely on community support and other fundraising efforts.
