Hello…..I have never done this before…well …iv been a choice intern at Seagull for four months now. I actually have been mulling over an idea that I want to throw out there and get feedback on. Shamoni would know all about this…I feel like I have been chasing my own tail so Bishan suggested that I talk bout it here and then I have all your ideas and contributions.
Ok so as I said I have been interning at seagull and I find that the events are attended pretty sparsely. At first I couldn’t figure out why this is. Then I went to Prithvi to perform and it gave me an idea. I feel that while Seagull has some fabulous events and a lot of resources to offer in terms of its collection of art, film, etc it isn’t exactly a ‘hangout’. People who are interested in a particular event attend it and leave. As a result there isn’t a group of regulars who remember what events are on and attend most of them. I thought if we could open a café here at the recourse center. Using the outdoor patio and some of the ground floor. We have quite a large space downstairs in which to hold events in the café at least twice a week. I was thinking film screenings, live music performances (although we will not have the budget to pay musicians) so maybe young musicians who need a place to showcase there talents. Also theater, dramatic monologues, poetry, discussions, if anyone has made a really good student film maybe set up a screening of it. As and when any of the Seagull contacts artists, writers, filmmakers etc are in town have a session with them.
These are my basic ideas so far. The most important thing I need to figure out is food!!....I thought it should be different from what you can get if you walk into any c.c.d. or barista.I was thinking maybe really good chaat made with like clean, hygienic water, which is slightly harder to find…I dunno…this is where you come in…please I need lots of feedback…about food events how viable do you think this idea is??????....ok….bye.
5 comments:
I do think the idea is pretty nice diya and i have seen the space u are planning to make this in. But what is important is do you think people would want to come this cafe. if so why?
1. good food (if that can be offered What kind of food. Why would people choose this place over CCD or Barista? Would u allow smoking, Will you give food that is cheaper than CCD or Barista or a different kind of food, etc)
2. Events (what kind of events are u looking at. Cultural definitely but it also has to be something that the youth can associate themselves with. Economic gimmick would be to rope in things which are considered 'cool' so that they come)
3. Platform for talents (This definitely works, artists do look for space and if seagull provides that they in turn can tell theirfriends who can come to see their work and in a way patronise the cafe)
Otherwise i think the idea is really good and u should definitely float it. Talk to some more people and see .
cheers
Ya i was talking to some people who had very interesting ideas for the decor....food is very important what kind of food would draw you in...i was thinking maby try to keep it cheaper than ccd...smoking will be allowed in the patio of course...we all smoke there anyway...About the events being cool...Seagull is cool...i don't want to move to far away from the Seagull image rather to utilize it so events will be related to music, arts, film, theater,...photography....also thinking of merchandising our art...because we have incredible archives..stationary, t shirts, mugs etc...as a funky alternative to the run of the mill gift shop variety.
The gift shop idea along with some nice events is damn cool and yeah if u can get like really zanny decor done, with smoking being allowed, the cafe will be overflowing all the time...
cheers, let me know how its progressing :)
hi Diya! me likes the gift sgop idea too. follow up on that.
chaats would definitely draw me in. and you could have a coffee machine or something.
also, what about having a caricaturist come in one day and do quick ´portraits´of people? that could work....
more later. good luck!
You know what? I think you should stop thinking so much and DO something. If you keep worrying about stuff like doing this first or that first, food then decor, decor then food, whatever - nothing is going to get done. I think you should just find someone who wants a place to perform, and give it to them. As far as food goes, even if you have tea and biscuits, it doesn't matter. Have people sit on the floor. Thats all secondary. What IS important is getting the ball rolling. Everything else will fall into place gradually. There's no point making lots of plans cos then all you have are ideas, and ideas have this annoying habit of STAYING ideas until something is DONE about them. Start small. But START.
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