5treet-Post.

con: Melbourne's 5ocial Network Ior the Creative Connunity

lnIornation Booklet ~June Z01Z
5treet-Post.con: Melbourne's 5ocial Network Ior the Creative Connunity
About 5treet-Post
5treet-Post is Melbourne's 5ocial Network Ior the Creative Connunity. 5treet-Post
is run by artists, Ior artists, on a 100% green powered server. lt is the virtual
neeting place Ior local creatives where we can connect and share with others in
the Connunity. Conplete your creative pro|ects and access your personal visions
in this resource-rich environnent.
Menbership is Iree and signing up is a quick and sinple process. Once signed up,
you can choose and create your proIle type- artist or nenber. Begin instantly to
upload unlinited content to your own portIolio! Weather it is nusic, photography,
video or docunents, 5treet-Post provides the online work-spaces Ior collaboration
and idea sharing.
5treet-Post brings the arts-scene to your conputer screen by providing real-tine
status updates and announcenents Iron all online nenbers, groups and venues.
Read about Ieatured artists, scroll through gig and gallery reviews and stay in
touch with the latest news generated by the connunity.
Looking Ior Ireelance artists to help conplete a creative pro|ect? Looking to buy
or sell instrunents? Looking Ior a place to pronote your upconing releases? Or
sinply wish to start a discussion thread? Unlike Facebook and other popular 5ocial
Networking 5ites, 5treet-Post has an extensive Connunity Pages area- conplete
with classiIeds sections, wanted sections and nedia sharing, all oI which is
exclusively relevant to the needs oI the connunity.
5treet-Post connects us together and nelts isolation between artists. We
welcone all Iorns oI creative expression and encourage connunication and
collaboration. This is our connunity identity, our creative exploration and our way
oI broadening the scope oI what can be expressed and experienced in our daily
lives.
5treet-Post Features:
100% Free and quick Menbership
100% Green-Powered Website
Quick Navigation & 5inple 5earch Lngine
Unlinited Uploading 5pace
Lxtensive proIle page Custonization
Lxtensive Foruns and Discussions 5ections
Privacy-Lnsured Personal lnIornation
5uper-Fast Ile transIer speeds
lnstant Facebook, G-Mail and Yahoo contact lnporting Tools
Mobile Website Mode
Connunity Advertising 5pace Available
Open-To-All Media 5haring
Open-To-All Pro|ect workspaces
Updated Connunity News
Featured Artist oI the Week Reviews
Gig, Gallery and Work Reviews
Online Auctions like Lbay
Mp3 Player with Downloads and Paynent Links
Blog lnporting and Updating Tools (Wordpress, Tunblr, Blogspot, etc)
Free & 5ponsored Connunity Pages, Ads and ClassiIdes
+nany nore Ieatures
You're |nv|ted!
5o now that you know what 5treet-Post is and what we're all about, we're inviting
you to |oin our social network. We have contacted you personally because we Ieel
that you and your associates would beneIt greatly Iron the website, and our
connunity would beneIt by having you as a nenber.
Menbership is Iree, quick and easy. Just click here and you can begin to create a
proIle out oI the 9 proIle types. Choose Iron D|, Band/ Musician, Graphic Artist/
Painter, Photographer, Designer, Business/Conpany/Venue, Writer/Poet,
Filn/Theatre or Regular Menbership.
By inviting you, we are also reserving a special position Ior you in the connunity
website. lI you have received this letter, we have an opportunity in store either Ior
you, your business or your creative endeavours.
We have several spots waiting to be Illed, we are on the lookout Ior nenbers
who:
Are able to becone Forun Moderators
Would like to advertise their work online
Can contribute to reviews oI Gigs and Lvents (including photos + nedia)
Can contribute content
Can becone Adninistrators oI particular sections oI the Website (occasional
work, nothing Iull on)
Are able to invite nany new nenbers to the connunity using pronotional
neans
5o please, sign up and create a proIle and browse
through our website. We are currently in the
process oI obtaining a governnent grant to help
with sone oI the costs associated with this
pro|ect. Once we have accunulated these
Inances we will begin our narketing and
pronotional phase. 5treet-Post is destined to
becone a large connunity resource spanning
Victoria wide.
We are the hone oI a diverse range oI nusical genres, club scenes, literary styles
and other artistic areas, what we do have in connon though is our neeting place.
5treet-Post is an area resource rich with nany nore beneIts beyond those oI
5oundcloud, Facebook and Bandcanp.
5treet-Post is run by Artists, Ior Artists.
5treet-Post Fact
We are aining to expand our social
network and we are asking Ior your
help. ln return we are willing to
oIIer you places in our Featured
Pages and Prine Advertising
positions Ior a nonth at next-to-
nothing prices. You can pronote
yourselI, your associates or your
events/club nights.
The Two Legs of the Art|st
5treet-Post is created, run by and acconnodating towards artists. We know what its like
to eat baked beans Ior dinner because you spent all your noney on a new anp. lt's
tough. Weather your living oII Centerlink paynents, gig noney or the last renaining
dollars Iron that LP you sold a Iew nonths back, let's Iace it- the creative liIestyle is not
very Inancially rewarding. This is because we stand outside oI culture. Being outside oI
culture has its good points and bad points. Firstly, being outside oI culture neans that
geographically we nay still live inside cities and suburbs, but based on the current cultural
value systen we are narginalised! We are, and always have been a snall ninority oI
people- eccentric, outlandish, outsiders. Our liIestyles are diIIerent, our language is
diIIerent, and our paycheques are diIIerent. And this all cones down to our value systens
being diIIerent.
5tanding outside oI culture neans that we are able to view the culture we were born in
to- as tourists, as aliens! We are able to view the cultural value systen in in its correct
light- as a systen oI nan nade belieIs and ideas who's basis is usually centred around
supporting an econonic super-structure- all existing within the incredibly conplex natural
order. With all oI its crazy contradictions and in|ustices, the cultural operating systen
lives on. 5ince nost artists are not very heavily involved in this systen, we are unable to
reap the Inancial and social beneIts oI the systen as other trades and titles in culture
are.
But is this what we really want?
Although it nay not be directly expressed in your art, or as lyrics in your songs or poetry,
we are here Ior nuch diIIerent reasons. 5ee, being outside oI culture has its beneIts! We
nay be a narginalised ninority but we do inuence society probably nore than any
institution or group. As artists, weather we are conscious oI it or not, we actually have
the ability to introduce new ideas into culture. This is the pronise oI art. Our voices
natter! Changing the world begins with changing yourselI, and changing how you see the
world. Your art, your act oI creatively expressing the interior oI your psyche with another
being, can change the ideas being supported by that person. lt then spreads like a virus iI
it is a good idea. Like genes, art runs on nenes.
lnuence- seeing culture in it's proper light, your light, and then reecting it back upon
society Ior all to see. That's what art is. That's what artists do and always have done.
Lxploring the unknown. 5aying whats never been said, doing what's never been done.
Bringing sonething back Ior the rest oI us to share. Be clear, concise and creative. And
nake us all go 'ah! l never thought oI it like that, but now that you nention it!'
Because unless we voice it, unless we draw it, unless we dance it- it renains in silence. We
cannot assune that others know where we're coning Iron. Lspecially iI those others do
not share the sane value systen as we do. Language ties us together, but art goes that
step Iurther and enables us to share experience in a nuch deeper level.
Opportun|t|es for Art|sts
Let us now bridge these two aspects together, the two legs oI the artist. One leg is the
Inancially squashed, narginalised, starving artist. 5hunned upon by society, but |ust as
hard working. The other stands in the door oI the unknown. The door into another world
oI insight, inspiration, creative problen solving and visionary beauty. The 5ource. This is
our thread into the living nystery oI being. This is where social change nust cone Iron.
Not Iron angry politicians, not even Iron rallying in the streets. But through the
introduction oI new ideas expressed through your art, which can only cone Iron the
individual who stands outside oI culture- but still lives in it.
5o it becones clear to ne that in order to conplete the creative process, the true
creative process, we need to Iollow sonething like what this diagran suggests:
5ource lnspirationConceptionReInenentManiIestationDistribution
The Irst 3-4 steps we can usually do conpletely alone. For sone Iorns oI art, even step
5 or 6. But nost oI us Iall short at the naniIestation or distribution stages. This is usually
due to Inancial inbalances or networking problens.
And this is where 5treet-Post cones to help.
5treet-Post is Melbourne's 5ocial Network Ior the Creative Connunity. Being a
connunity environnent, there is soneone out there who can help you. 5oneone has
what you need, soneone has that nissing piece oI the puzzle! Be it a guitar lead, a rare
canera lens or a bookings nanager at a venue. 5oneone in Melbourne can help you to
conplete you or your groups creative process.
5treet-Post's connunity ranges Iron the Ireelance photographer to the scriptwriter and
the band, to the sound engineer, booking agency and printer. Hone to a diverse range oI
genres, styles, proIessions and interests, there are enough nenbers online who can
provide the resources or the expertise to help you in your creative endeavours.
Ask questions in the Foruns and generate discussions. Piece together pro|ects Iron
nixed nediuns online in the Pro|ects area. 5earch through The Connunity to Ind that
nissing band nenber. Create a Page and advertise your work. Create events and browse
through photos oI your night.
You can even nake noney by selling np3's online, through our Paypal systen. Our
website will help you cut the costs oI creating art in the Z1
st
century by Inding the
others who have what you need.
Opportun|t|es for Bus|nesses, Organ|sat|ons and Venues
Daily, 5treet-Post's connunity is growing exponentially. During only the Irst week, we
have at least 15 new nenbers signing up Ior Iree everyday! With an average oI 30 new
artworks being uploaded daily, along with an albun each day. Within 5 days oI running
5treet-Post already has had 19,96Z visitors to the site. These nunbers will only increase
once we begin the pro|ect oI advertising and pronotion.
We are currently installing a Connunity Ads application on 5treet-Post.con This enables
artists, businesses and venues a chance to pronote thenselves to their exact target
narket! Ads will appear along the side oI artists proIle's (like Facebook does), exposing
your ad clearly and boldly to an entire connunity. Based on a recent study
1
, advertising
on a social network ained at users between 18-Z4:
- 67 percent get news or product updates
- 64 percent view pronotions
- 41 percent view or download nusic or videos
- 36 percent subnit opinions
- 33 percent connect with other custoners
And while 84 percent see ads on social networks, a whopping 74 percent say they click
oIten and 36 percent say they don't click on ads at all.
5o advertising on 5treet-Post isn't such a bad idea. Not only will it increase the anount oI
custoners or Ians Ior you, it will strengthen the connunity resource base too! You will
increase custoners and clients to your proIle (or your own external website) and iI your a
venue, you can advertise your events into 5treet-Post's calendar. A great chance to
broaden your exposure and get your nane involved in the Creative Connunity scene
online.
For enquiries as to how 5treet-Post can work Ior you and what advertising packages we
oIIer please visit our website or contact Fabian at Iabian@street-post.con. Packages
start at as little as SZ0 Ior artists/ groups and S100 Ior Venues/Club nights and
Businesses. Packages work on a nonthly billing cycle, and transactions can be autonatic
or nanual via Paypal. Other nethods are also accepted.
A Ieatured package will display your ad on the honepage oI the website, exposing it to
the public and visitors oI 5treet-Post too. Graphic design is also available upon request Ior
a Iee.
1 720 Media. Full article available at
http://www.taadixon.com/tips-resources/Iacebook-advertising-statistics-to-consider-as-you-market-your-business/
5treet-Post Fact
lt is estinated that 50% oI new
businesses will cone Iron 5ocial
Media and lnternet Marketing LIIorts
over the next Ive years. That
nunber could triple by Z0Z0,
according to the MicrosoIt 5nall
Businesses 5unnit Z008.
lnagine what lnternet Marketing
could do Ior an already established
business!
The 5treet-Post 5tory
The initial concept oI 5treet-Post began in Z010-11. During these years l was studying
the works oI radical philosopher Terence McKenna, who was to suggest that 'culture is
not ny Iriend' and that all revolutions, be then geological, biological or cultural, occur
through a breaking Iree oI habitual patterns through the grace oI creativity. McKenna also
placed a great inportance on the Iunction oI art-naking as the only true way Ior citizens
to 'Ight back' against the personal and social restrictions oI inherited cultural value
systens. This radical thinking pattern bought ne to the conclusion; that the best way Ior
new values to be introduced into culture was through the donain oI nusic and art. This is
because artists stand outside oI culture! Being outside oI culture neans that we have the
opportunity to view it as it truly is; a nan nade systen oI ideas operating within the
larger, conplex systen oI nature. We are thus able to criticise it and help its
developnent.
While travelling around the east coast oI Australia, l visited nany Iorest hippie connunes
and snall art connunities. My travelling buddies and l were overwhelned with the sense
oI connunity that held these isolated people together. They were able to live
conIortably in the liIe they loved, Iull oI the creative spirit and artistic Ireedon. This
nade ne wonder, why isn't there this strong, uniting sense oI connunity identity in
Melbourne? lt wasn't until l net ny Guru Channa Dassanayaka who inspired ne and others
to take action in what we value and to nake our dreans naniIest. That was the Inal
piece oI the puzzle, the last incentive l needed to begin work.
l began to share sone initial ideas with Iriends and artists back in Melbourne. AIter nany
discussions and neetings, the ball Inally got rolling. Online planning and resource
searching began. l was deternined to launch this virtual neeting place. Just as the
ancient Greeks had the Agora, an outdoor place where philosophers, poets and artists
Iron surrounding cities would neet to share ideas, the Lost Generation had the coIIee
shops and CaIes oI Paris to read eachother their poetry, Melbourne needed a centralised
neeting point Ior the uninterrupted sharing oI art and nusic. And since so nuch oI our
lives are online, so nuch oI our art is online. Meeting places oI this day and age need to
be at least partially virtual. Because our lives are seni-virtual, our social neeting places,
our Agora needs to be virtual. l then contacted ny Iriend Pat in Queensland, who was
studying web design. He told ne that a pro|ect like this would cost sonewhere around
S80,000. lt was at this point that all ny aspirations washed down the drain...
AIter nonths oI planning and developnent, street-post.con began to take shape. l ended
up Inding sone cheaper, stronger soItware which cost a lot less. Friends, Ianily and local
artists began to show support both with their tine and noney. With the noney l received
as generous giIts Ior ny Z1
st
birthday, the website began to be built. We contacted a
web designer in New Delhi who was able to build and install the soItware as well as the
apps and nods Ior a lot less than Pats initial quote! He built the website, but nonths later
it crashed and we had to start again Iron scratch. This was the inIanous 5treet-Post
crash oI Z01Z. A sad day. Always renenber to back-up your work!
We contacted another progranner in Canada, and with the help oI sone local graphic
artists Waternelon 5ugar who designed our logo and Iont, the website was built once
again Iron scratch and ready to be used as a connunity resource.
Launch took place Melbourne wide on the Z7
th
oI May Z01Z at 18:00 L5T. Within 5 days
we already have a connunity oI 60 people and growing. At the tine oI writing this
docunent there are already Z6Z posts, 4 nusic albuns Ior sale, 9 videos 8 blogs and 1Z6
photos. 5tatistics like this only indicate exponential growth, and oIIcial pronotion and
advertising hasn't even begun yet.
We have applied Ior a governnent grant Iron the Darebin Z011/Z01Z Connunity Grants
Progran. We have invited Roberto Malara, the Connunity Grants Coordinator to visit our
site and browse through the content to see iI we are eligible applicants. lI successIul, the
pronotional phase oI 5treet-Post begins with a kick start. This phase includes large scale
advertising in nediuns such as 5tickers, Large 5treet Posters, Flyers and Business cards.
This is when our connunity will begin to branch out and touch nany diIIerent artistic
clusters, genres oI nusic and styles oI art adding to the diversity, the creativity, the
resources.
5o use this website to its Iull potential. Make yourselI at hone. There are countless
possibilities with a technology like this, sone oI which l'n still unaware oI nyselI. There
are nany people to neet and connections to be nade to help launch and nurture your
own creative pro|ects. We are constantly upgrading the soItware and adding new nods to
beneIt our connunity.
We can re-design the culture we were born into through the creation and the sharing oI
our visions, ideas, and concepts. We stand outside oI culture, to help it. This technology
is here to help us with repairing the value systen we've inherited- by distributing our
creativity and strengthening the creation oI a world oI beauty, |oy, peace and love. This
technology is here to help with nenetic resource extraction Ior the beneIt oI society.
Because what we need isn't |ust good ideas. lt's the naniIestation oI these ideas.
l would like to give a warn thanks to all who have supported ne and this pro|ect in
countless ways. You are held in a special place in ny heart.
Fabian Canerino, June Z01Z
5treet-Post M|ss|on 5tatement
The tean at 5treet Post believe that art has the potential Ior changing the way
we view our world. We believe that when new ideas, concepts and perceptions are
expressed and shared- the result is the broadening oI collective awareness.
5urround yourselI with people who believe in your dreans.
There are nany talented local artists and nusicians in Melbourne. We have now
the opportunity to share our creations. 5treet-Post is the virtual neeting place Ior
the Creative Connunity which we are all part oI.
5treet-Post Iollows the Iour C's. Connectivity, Creativity, Collaboration and
Change. This website enables us to Connect with eachother, share our Creat|v|ty,
Co||aborate with like ninded people, Iorging a radical Change |n our view oI
ourselves and the world around us.
You are responsible Ior the talent that has been entrusted to you.
We represent an aIInity group with the potential Ior dranatic change upon the
ideological structure oI society. lt is through 5treet-Post that we can Iind the
others and create an online catalogue oI the artists and their works. We are able
to view and share our own private visions and actualize the Iuture which resides in
our own inaginations.
lt's like creative resource extraction.
Follow your Iavourite bands, photographers and artists. Read reviews, listen to
nusic, watch videos and view inagery. 5earch Ior who or what you need to
conplete your creative pro|ects. Connent, criticise and discuss connunity issues
that natter.
lt's tine to create our own nedia.