Here's an upcoming project that I'd like to invite some input on.
Here in Los Angeles, Edmond Cohen, who isn't on e-mail yet, owns a building
in a prime location by the Venice Beach boardwalk. From the beginning of
March he would like to open up the ground floor of it as a New Civilization
Center of some sort.
What exactly that means is very open at this point. There can be events
going on there, it could be an art gallery, products could be sold, it
could be a cybercafe, or a number of other things.
The space is around 1600 square feet, it has a store front, there is a
grassed space where there could be tables. There is plenty of parking by
the beach. It is in a public area, but still a little to the side and
private.
Edmond will probably paint "New Civilization" on the facade. The place
needs to at least bring in the rent he would otherwise get for it. But
otherwise, what is going to go on there is open. Except for that it would
be "New Civilization" activities.
Those of you who are in the L.A. area and who would like to participate, or
volunteer to man the place some of the time, let me or Edmond know, and
we'll put our minds together. For the rest of you, some good ideas on how
the space could be utilized would be very welcome.
I could very well let my mind run loose and imagine storefront New
Civilization Centers in all major metropolitan areas. Gathering places for
exciting events, community activities, workshops; information centers about
new civilizations, alternatives, about the planet; network access points;
cultural centers.
But that is all a bit abstract. There are of course some business realities
involved, in that somehow money needs to come in to pay for the existence
of it. Either by charging for entrance, or by selling products. Unless it
could be positioned so that somebody with deep pockets will feel like
funding its existence altogther.
The unique opportunity could be in defining a new kind of place, unlike any
traditional establishment.
There are already many different kinds of centers and gathering places in a
place like Los Angeles. Like, several people who run metaphysical centers
and stores are here on the list, like the "Imagine Center" and "Sacred
Space", and they have many exciting workshops and events and sell books and
stuff. So, how would this new place be different?
Note that NCN itself, as a whole, is not in the business of running
businesses. It is not an incorporated organization. So it is more that
people here can team up to form particular ventures.
The "New Civilizaton Encino" group, which is an incorporated non-profit
organization headed by Leon Vickman <newcivilization@sprintmail.com>,
separate from NCN, but affiliated, might also play a role in this
particular project, and it could serve as an outlet for some of their
activities.
You can reach Edmond Cohen at (310) 823-1618 by fax or phone, or drop me a
note with any good suggestions.
- Flemming
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/ \------------------ Flemming A. Funch ------------------/ \
/ * \ World Transformation/New Civilization/Whole Systems / * \
/ * * \ ffunch@newciv.org / * * \
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