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The 2002-2003 membership drive is nearing the end. We must have all new memberships in hand by April 1, 2003 in order for them to count toward this membership drive. That gives us enough time to process them, double check results so we can announce the winner at SlamMasters as promised a year ago.
If you were planning to bring a bunch of memberships to SlamMasters as a last minute surprise, DO NOT DO THAT. You will be five days too late. April 1 is the deadline.
Current leader (since the Green Mill graciously withdrew itself fromt he contest) is Minneapolis, MN. But Ann Arbor, MI nad Delray Beach, FL are both vowing to make it a contest to the bitter end.
OK, April 1, we'll have a winner.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! EC has been very happy with the results of this membership drive in certain parts of the country. We know that prizes motivate SlamMasters. Soooo....
Announcing: Mini-membership Drive II. PSI has agreed to refund the NPS 2003 application fee of the venue that can generate the greatest number of memberships between April 2, 2003 and June 30, 2003. Whoever wins thecurrent drive is ineligible for the new mini-membership drive. So April 1, we clear the boards and start over. Free application fee to NPS is on the line. Ready, set, GO!
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! Announcing Membership Slam II. Beginning April 2 and running concurrently with the mini-membership drive, but concluding on June 30, 2004 is the Second Wave Membership Slam. This is essentially the same prize package as the current Membership Slam for NPS 2004. Check out www.poetryslam.com/membership-slam.htm to see the current prize list.The 2004 prize will be announced at SlamMasters next month. Of course, previous winners of either of the two previous contests are exempted.
And, as we have done in the past, the GrantBack benefits continue to accrue for everyone. 10% of the membership fees collected in the name of your venue are credited back to you to use for "essential PSI business" like certification fees, NPS application fees, etc. It's win-win-win. PSIbenefits and grows, your local Poetry Slam scene benefits and grows and individual members benefit and grow too.
Get those memberships in. We're rolling now. |
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Amended Policy Regarding Audio/Video Release Forms at NPS |
UPDATE: 3/9/03
We have received two fax transmissions in the last three days from the two poets mentioned in the text below. We now have 100% permission and authority to use all the audio and video collected at NPS 2002 in any number of new products. This is a huge step in the right direction.
Stay tuned for more product updates in the coming days and weeks.
SM
The following is a post sent today (2/28/03) to the SlamMasters' Listserve by Steve Marsh. It details a change in policy regarding poets signing the Audio/Video Release form at NPS 2003. Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with the new policy and feel free to fill out the poll connected with this story.
And if there is a need for community discussion of this issue, please feel free to start a thread on this subject in the Forums area of this website. That's what it's there for.
SM
Hello SlamMasters,
Today's topic is the Poet release forms.
Last year we had every poet except two sign the poet release form. Last night (at 12:15 AM) I received a fax from one of those two. So all poets but one signed the releases. Thank you for that cooperation.
Unfortunately, the two reluctant poets were on the finals stage. We are left with no other choice than to cut them out of the finals night tape we are preparing. Maybe at this late date we can still include the poet with the tardy release form. We are looking at the logistics of that right now.
This has been a huge difficulty in providing the public with a product they clearly want to buy. It has been a huge difficulty in creating a chunk of our public history. And it has significantly delayed the production of the finals night tape while we heard "maybe," "maybe not," "I don't know," etc. from the two poets who didn't sign releases.
Overwhelmingly, the community has approved the process by signing the releases.
This year, signing the release form will be a condition of participation. Please let all your poets coming to NPS know this in advance.
Remember, the release form is very clear. The POET retains the rights to his or her poems from start to finish. This is a principle from which we will not deviate. They are NOT our poems. But PSI is securing the rights to the video and audio of these performances of these poems. Not ALL video and audio rights to these poems. Only to the performances of the poems conducted at the NPS. Nothing stops a poet from using his or her material in any way s/he sees fit. But the NPS rights alone are what we are reserving for PSI use. And we are very clear that we will allow the poet to use even this footage for their own non-commercial use for a small editing fee. And further, they can purchase a license to use this footage for their own commercial purposes if they choose.
I know almost all of you agree with that position, but there may be a few who do not. This is a chance to have a healthy exchange on this idea. And this is the time to ask questions so that you are informed when the poets ask you questions.
I have sent a copy of the updated release form to Scott Woods to post in the files for this list and I will send a copy to be uploaded into the members area of poetryslam.com too.
UPDATE on the 2002 video project(s):
There WILL be a finals night video released for public consumption. I have seen some of the clips and they are gorgeous. This is the best quality video and audio we have EVER come up with from a finals. Aaron Yamaguchi and Gabrielle Bouliane are working very hard to make a March 26 deadline. We hope to have it ready to go in the e-store on that date and available to everyone before SlamMasters. You're going to love it.
Other 2002 footage is being considered for additional video projects down the road. The old adage that an hour of editing is necessary to produce a minute of tape is proving generally true. It is a huge labor intensive process. We have also had to invent our production process from the ground up and try to accommodate the fact that the principals in the project live in three different states separated by three time zones. We're getting there. |
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The GrantBack Program Explained |
Recently there has been a lot of interest in our GrantBack Program. Essentially this is a way for the official non-profit status of PSI to extend its benefit right back to the local level. It's pretty simple really. Any individual or organization can make a tax deductible contribution to PSI's operating fund. That contribution can go to any legitimate purpose, according to IRS rules. But for certified and registered Poetry Slam venues who help conduct the "essential business of PSI" that can spell a lot of help.
Anyone may contribute to PSI and receive all the tax benefits of charitable donations. Anyone can suggest to us where they would like that contribution to go. If a donor suggests that a donation should go into a specific GrantBack account, we can (almost always) accommodate the request. (There are limitations: the donor cannot specify that a gift go to any blood relative, nor to the financial benefit of any blood relative, nor can it go to support any political candidate or political action committee.) PSI is obligated to reserve a "substantial portion" of any donation for its general operations budget. With IRS guidance, we interpret that to mean 10%. The rest can go into a local certified or registered Poetry Slam's account to pay for the essential business of PSI.
So, what is that "essential business?" IRS identifies plenty of places the local can spend its GrantBack funds legitimately: venue certification, gift or team memberships, National Poetry Slam application fees, other PSI sponsored tournament fees, even travel to and from and lodging at SlamMasters meetings and the National Poetry Slam or other PSI sponsored tournaments can be reimbursed if the right conditions are met. There are some paperwork requirements, as you might imagine. But PSI can reimburse any SlamMaster for legitimate expenses in the above categories with the presentation of original receipts identifying the true cost of the items. In addition, if you place PSI's logo and website address prominantly in your local advertising, we can use GrantBack funds to reimburse up to half of the cost of your fliers and the like. Of course, we can only reimburse a SlamMaster for the amount of funds in his or her GrantBack account. But it's already working for lots of Poetry Slams all over the country.
If you are a poetry patron, please consider giving to PSI in the name of your local Poetry Slam venue. You'll be doing a good thing when you do. It's donors who keep the poetry fires burning in times like these!
If you are a local poetry organizer, please use this information as a strong argument as to why you should certify or register your event and come under the PSI umbrella.
And if you are a SlamMaster of a currently certified or registered poetry series, get to work finding some financial support for your event and/or teams. Now you have a tool to use that had not been available before. Use it. That's what it's here for.
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New Membership Expiration Dates |
Short version: Current PSI bylaws say everyone's membership expires at the same time, on April 1 of each year. We have recently had a lot of membership interest from all over the world. That's GOOD news. But because the family is growing, we need to be able to do two things: 1) provide fair value to dues paying members and 2) spread the work load of membership out over time.
Toward that end, we will be proposing a bylaw change to EC and to the SlamMasters in April. If it passes those two bodies, it will be taken to the SlamFamily meeting in August.
Essentially, we will be asking for the following authorization: To allow a person to sign up for membership for a one year period beginning on the date s/he pays dues. If you become a member on December 1, your membership won't expire until the following December 1, instead of April 1, as the current bylaws indicate.
Please feel free to leave comments on this idea. If the poll associated with this article doesn't give you an option to express your complete thoughts, feel free to make a comment in the forums section of the website.
It's YOUR membership. Let us know how we are doing.
UPDATE: The proposed bylaw amendment has passed the EC vote unanimously and goes next to the SlamMasters' Council in Chicago in April. We'll keep you posted.
UPDATE TWO: At SlamMasters Council meeting in Chicago, the SlamMasters approved the necessary Bylaw change unanimously in 59.5 seconds. Last vote will be in the Slam Family meeting in Chicago at NPS 2003 this August. |
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