The idea is pretty simple and works well. Find a reliable group of neighbors, get a truck and share costs for maintenance and insurance. Set up a calendar to schedule use and everybody keeps the tank half full.
For myself and other artists in the Gateway Arts District in Prince George's County Maryland, this would be fantastic with the right vehicle.
I'm a member of a group like this that shares a little pickup truck. It's great, but for artists handling art it is simply inadequate. That's where a short bus with a wheelchair lift comes in. Start there, take out some seats, install tie down points on the inside like in any regular box truck, make an oversized rear door, add a roof rack/mural painting platform/ stage for events and side rack for ladders and things, etc etc and bam, you have a fantastic custom art handling/ art install/ music and events vehicle! Whether you're a visual artist, musician, theatrical performer or something completely different, this vehicle would meet needs for moving things, making things, and provide a mobile venue to perform things from, while still being small enough to navigate DC streets and alleys.
Since I haven't seen anybody else rise to the challenge yet I guess it's on me. Who's in? Margaret? Alonzo? Val- you're in on the little shared pickup with me, tell me you would not want in on this truck also. I'm looking for 15 to 20 brave souls with one or two hundred bucks to spare per year to get this started with me, opt in or out every year after and take it as it comes. Oh, and a few thousand in grants funding to subsidize startup costs would would be great buy-in to the idea as well, if you happen to know of an organization that would fund this initiative.
A decent short bus costs about 5k. Add another 5k in retro-fits and it'll still cost less than a used box truck of the same size and be better suited to boot.
Please share this page on social media in the Gateway Arts District, send it to any artist you think needs to join here in the North Brentwood/ Hyattsville/ Mount Rainier/ Brentwood/ Gateway Arts District/ Unincorporated Northern PG County/ Near My House/ Near Red Dirt/ Near Glut Food Co-op/ Near Pyramid/ Near Joe's/ Near Otis Street Studio and Blue Door Studios / You Get It, Near Here (kidding) area and anybody that needs to fund this.
If this vehicle would help someone with their Emergency Relief Funding application as a way to show that they will use the grants funding to replace lost income with new revenues instead of spending on immediate expenses let me know, we get enough of us together and we could make something beautiful. Bus and beyond.
While it is hard to prove I've lost income since most of my future projects are still “maybes” but not any time soon, I know my income has dropped. I'm sure this is true for many of us, where it is hard to say what will happen when, but in the meantime money is scarce. Point being, let's make our case.
So yes, I'm moving forward on this in the next couple months. Holler at me if you want in or want to help fund making it happen.
Rock on,
Bob
Look at this sweet ride I found on Craigslist. What a beauty. You can get something like this for $5k. Maybe not worth it on your own, but worth one twentieth of the total cost? Yeah, probably, if you're renting a truck more than once a year and could make some extra money with it, improve your art practice, just need to go for a drive now and then with it, move, etc. I'm not trying to do a hard sell here, just, you know, excited for this little slice of the future.