08/22/2023
Hi everyone! First of all, thank you so much to all of the people who have reached out, shared this fundraiser, and donated. We still have a long way to go but we’re on our way!
Our current plan is to try to find a temporary space while we fundraise for what we need long term. This likely means compromising for a while with anything from lower ceilings, to smaller classes, to an out-of-town location, as there is currently nothing available that has everything we need (hence the large fundraising amount).
There have been many questions about how the amount for the GoFundMe came to be and that is super fair! It’s a huge amount.
We are trying to budget to find the space that we truly need to create a lasting accessible circus space in Katarokwi. The list below is the estimates of the total costs for a best case scenario situation, which means that in reality, we will most likely need a lot more funding than what we are currently striving for. There are currently no spaces available that have everything we need so we are trying to account for what might need to be done. The GoFundMe amount is only a portion of what we are hoping to fundraise in total. If there ever was a surplus of funds raised, it would be directly invested in areas that resonate with our mission like accessibility, reconciliation, and scholarships. Here are some of our estimates below:
- $10,000 Floor and screen (spacer for classes) costs (this is assuming that the floor will be larger and that what we currently have might be unusable). We also need a large screen to separate classes, especially for folks who want privacy
- $10,000 Access costs (probably five times this. One automated button is $5,000. Our previous ramp was paid out of pocket and was close to $15,000)
- $10,000 First and last rent payments (prices are much higher since the pandemic)
- $10,000 Rigging new (a rigger, renting a scissor lift, any new rigging gear that is needed)
- $10,000 Moving costs (rental transportation and/or storage fees) and old rigging removal of current beams and pin rail, with a scissor lift rental (we may have someone helping to lower these costs! More to come!)
- $2,000 Structural engineer
- $20,000 Beams and pin rails and any upgrades to space (this is if we cannot find a space that already has beams. We paid $10,000 for the last ones and they are fit to the width of the current space)
- $5000 Miscellaneous (probably closer to $10,000): Outdoor sign (our current one blew away and we haven't been able to replace it), mic (this is an access necessity) , lights (we want anything but fluorescent lighting, ideally dimmable as folks have had access problems with our current lighting), mats (assuming we will need more and if the ceilings are higher, we’ll need thicker mats), admin & coordination fees
- 13% HST
- 30% Taxes (the fundraising amounts are taxable income)
- 3% GoFundMe fees
Thank you again for your support. We'll update soon with performance details for further fundraising.
Help us find a new home! Kingston Circus Arts is a community offering circus … Erin Ball needs your support for Keep Circus Arts in Katarokwi (Kingston)!
