Raising money through a dedicated fundraising website in order to fund an artistic project may seem reasonable, but when the project itself doesn't actually cost anything to achieve, it does beg the question: 'What's the money for?'
The 'No Packet Required' blog was started as a reaction to this sort of misuse of fundraising. It is the umbrella title for a number of projects, designed to make musical and artistic endeavours without costing anyone a packet.
Project one is a reaction to one specific case, where a ukulele musician has raised over $16,000 on the premise that she will write and record an original song every week, on whatever equipment is to hand, and email an MP3 of that recording to anyone who contributes more than $52. Bearing in mind she already has the instruments and equipment with which to do so at no additional cost to herself, I did wonder what the money was supposed to be funding, and if it was simply a money-grubbing exercise as I suspected, rather than a valid artistic endeavour.
So my proposal for Project one was to match her challenge, and write and record an MP3 of a new, original song every week, to be given away gratis for anyone who wanted it. It would cost me nothing to make; it would cost the listener nothing to receive; it would potentially highlight the fact that funding has absolutely no effect on the outcome. Yes, I expect it to be inconsistent in quality, depending on inspiration, other time pressures, etc. but I would also imagine that those issues would effect her as much as me, and may expose the creative shortcomings of the exercise.
