The State of All Things: May 2023 {official Thing} (Patreon)

• BASIC LIFE UPDATE (+ SUNDAY'S PATRON-ONLY EVENT LINKS!)...and a long muse about Songwriting in A Safe Place.
• WHAT ELSE HAPPENED THIS MONTH
• WHAT'S COMIN' DOWN THE PIKE/UPCOMING EVENTS
• DISPATCHES FROM TEAM AFP
• HOW THE PATREON ITSELF IS DOING
• ARTISTS TO SUPPORT & OTHER ART/EVENTS TO CHECK OUT
• ART BEGETTING ART
• THE PATRON COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

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THE BASIC LIFE 'N' SCHTUFF UPDATE....

Hello my loves.

Welcome to another Althing. It's May 2023.

Greetings from Woodstock, New York, where I am collapsing and catching up after two full weekends of Dresden Dolls shows (many photos below).

I know I just sent a huge-ass post yesterday about the pop-up venue (a.k.a Graveside Variety), and so I beg your forgiveness - as usual - in the end-of-the-month Post Barrage Department....I was flailing to even answer my texts while on tour, and lo and behold, now it's the end of the month, and the Things gotta get Thing'd if mama is gonna bring home the bacon, or vegan bacon (what's vegan bacon called?)

(Alex's proof-reading note: I believe it's called 'facon' (like fake-bacon)

Above is - as promised - a video-tour of the new community-everything space. I'm feeling myself coming alive in ways that are painful - a bit pins-and-needles...more on that below.

BUT FIRST OF ALL...HERE ARE THE LIVE TICKET LINKS for SUNDAY'S LOCAL PATRON-ONLY EVENTS at GRAVESIDE VARIETY! Hurry. Like I said, there's only about 50 tickets available for each event, but we'll be doing more and more and more.

I also edited in/added them to the post itself, but here you go:

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MORNING MADNESS! SUNDAY, JUNE 4th, 9am-12pm: "MORNING PIANO LOUNGE with Amanda & Co"! Piano! Sunshine! Meet the space! Coffee Truck! Bring kids! Bring baked goods! $5 donation, more info here and GET TICKETS.

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EVENING MADNESS! SUNDAY, JUNE 4th, 6-9pm (may go late, we'll seeeeee): "LANCE AND AMANDA SHOW UP": A party around a piano/curated chaos. $10 donation, more info here and GET TICKETS.

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As a reminder, to the locals: if you are coming by and can bring a CHAIR, we're looking to collect 15-10 sexy/not-too-big cool old cabaret/kitchen/dining/living-room type chairs for the audience to SIT ON in the space. Email us at gravesidevariety@gmail.com with a picture and we'll yay or nay. We have a HUGE wishlist of other shit we need - but we don't wanna overwhelm the system all at once!

........

And now.

How am I?

Oh, bella.

Better, but so, so, so raw. Loving the feel of summer on my skin, the smell of the leaves blooooming, and the hot, blistering-back-to-life of my head, my heart, my loins, my electric-songwriter-brain. Oh god, I love the summer.

So: emerging, with crackling joy, but also feeling fragile as thinnnn glass. Being on tour set my heart straight, and also provided me some painful perspective.

This has been a really intense month of learning, listening, mothering, adjusting to shifting circumstances once again.

As I walked into the pop-up this morning, as I turned my key in the door and saw the piano there, waiting...I felt a surge of emotion as I realized I wanted to play the piano, I wanted to compose, I wanted to write, I wanted to make music. I felt able, all of a sudden, for some reason. Unburdened. Able to feel art. Able to breathe. Ability. I felt my innate ability to write, to express, to tap the musical joy flowing through my veins. It's been blocked. Not just since Covid, but for years. I felt my blood coming back to my limbs.

But, like with so many things lately, it all comes with a side-helping of grief as I've started to synthesize what it's meant to me - for years now - not to have a space that feels like that; a place to write and create in that feels warm, safe, kind, honorable, true. Honest.

I ponder.

So much of the story of my space and place, for years now, has had to be under wraps.

As I enter the final phases of divorce, the numbness I felt for a long time is starting to give way to pins and needles and ache, but also: almost overwhelming aliveness. Revival. Gulping of air. 

From 2008 to 2020, I tweeted, I blogged, I shared...I mentioned that I was moving here or there, but I gave fewer and fewer details every year. Everything seemed to happen all at once, and blur was disorienting: My best friend Anthony dying of cancer was something I chronicled in 2011-2015. He was dying as I was touring Theatre is Evil and finishing the final drafts of The Art of Asking, but I subtracted the story of the rental house in Cambridge; I just talked about my friend dying. I told the story of being pregnant, but I subtracted the story of moving into a house in Hudson, then a house in Woodstock. I thought I could separate my physical story from my life story, and feel grown-up and comfortable doing it. Like a mature person.

In fact, the opposite was true. It felt ever more uncomfortable as the years wore on. The more I hid the details of my physical life from my audience, the more disconnected I felt from myself as an artist, as a writer. 

I felt disembodied. I felt like I was sorta lying to everybody. I think being a crowdfunded artist has a lot to do with this. I try to be as transparent as possible; I mean, it is you who funds my existence. How could I manage that relationship while hiding so much about how my life worked?

Long ago, I adapted and evolved towards living in a very open-art-door community. Hell, The Dresden Dolls met at a party AT MY HOUSE. My living room was more or less an ongoing public party, my kitchen was a potluck; I welcomed in strangers, I trusted the process. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it was a mess, but it was the cost/benefit lifestyle I chose and I loved. And, truly...I loved it. Then, all of a sudden: I was living behind a bit more of a wall, without quite realizing what had happened. I missed the memo, but it happened - I slowly changed into a person who needed to have an unlisted, unfindable address.

I'm only just starting to wake up to how much ache it caused, and how I didn't really notice the ache setting in, because it was so gradual, so glacial.

..........

This is part of why this new pop-up space feels like such a relief. I can breathe. Finally, I can face the world the way I like it, the way I used to like it, the way that feels nourishing, and say:

This is me. Here I am. C'mon in. Let's ask who we are.

I have found myself, lately, trying to untangle this mystery - especially as I dig deeper into the writing of this new Dresden Dolls record. And - my god - this record is turning into an epic art-heart undertaking.

It's been through four iterations so far, this album, and I'm only just getting started. The songs keep emerging - like me, finding their way out of the dark and into the light. And the songs are weird (what's new?) and more powerful than I want them to be, and I get the feeling this record is going to be the first one of my career that I'm actually slightly afraid to record and release, because I fear the power of it will swallow me whole. I truly love this afraid feeling. I love the afraid feeling because it's the feeling I always get when something is really, really, really good.

When I stop to think about it, I felt the most productive - and liberated, and joyous - as a songwriter from about 1999-2003. I began (and finished, which was way harder) dozens of really important songs. The vast majority of all three Dresden Dolls albums were born from this short era of songwriting. Half Jack, Girl Anachronism, Good Day, Coin-Operated Boy, Backstabber, Sing, My Alcoholic Friends, Ultima Esperanza, Truce, and on and on... all those songs were written on my piano in my little apartment studio in The Cloud Club in Boston.

Michael Pope was living downstairs, Lee was living upstairs, and I felt so safe and among friends that I even left my apartment door while I was writing (I have never been able to do that since).

The environment was one of co-creation, of love, of loudly connected community. Manta and Pope would be upstairs on the top floor, cutting/splicing together edits of their film Neovoxer, Lee would be making coffee and putting together some kind of stone-paper-jewel-trash art at his table, Zea was making a painting next door...we were all simultaneously dedicated to our crafts. I was around artists making art. We had our other admin and chores, but mostly, we were doing and making. Social media hadn't eaten our brains. 

I had never been happier, because I was writing alone, but I did not feel alone. I also had a physical space that I loved and adored. My apartment in Boston was a messy, creative, hallowed space. It was often open to the public for parties, but it was MINE, and the public who came through brought their fire to help glaze the walls - my housemates, my lovers, Lee with a drill and a loaf of bread, my friends - it all felt benevolent, part of the space itself. They all added to the process of songwriting fuel, they didn't detract from it.

Living in semi-secrecy changed all that. I didn't notice it happening at first, but
I now see it for what it was: I felt incredibly lonely. I missed being around artists who up at all hours and taking joy in the art, loving the process, throwing their ideas at the wall, going out at the end of a long day of creation, to commune, to drink, to talk, to joke, to dance and laugh about the fucked or the blessed day. 

We'd compare notes, we'd share the trials and tribulations and joys and panics. I think I missed this most of all about leaving my old Boston community; the almost-daily, deeply honest, easy-going early-morning and late-night communion. The electric sparkle of sharing our love (and hatred, sometimes) of the actual MAKING.

Tour brought little glimpses of that, but to be honest, touring isn't incredibly creative: it's mostly exhausting. For me, touring is brick-laying. 

The recent Dolls shows reminded me of that. You're showing what you created a bit more than doing the creating. Tour is about surviving and getting from place to place. My touring crews are all about supporting the day-to-day survival and movement of the touring bodies. You don't hear us spending a lot of time at the end of the night talking about the art itself - we're mostly talking about the merch counts and problems, the security issues, and whether or not we should change the contract with the theater on the following night to have a different protocol or load-in time.

It's kinda...boring.

Renting this pop-up space and filling it with artist-friends and soul-siblings has brought me back around to that old feeling of deep joy, of why-not-do-it collaboration and support, where the gleefulness of the creation itself is the end game.

And then, we eat! Fuck, I have missed sitting down and eating. Eating, and really sitting there and enjoying the eating....it is so crucial to me. Call me old-fashioned. But the mealtimes around here lately have been blissful.

I've missed that, too, at the end of a long art day: taking time to mull and celebrate in tenderness. Taking time to peel and ponder and cuddle, to do nothing for a bit, to truly walk away from the canvas, the space, the tones, ambition, the phone, the admin, the striving, to truly rest in one another's arms; the familial tenderness in this kind of collaborative living-and-art-making. to let it all resonate.

Then; little Ash. (He requested that he and his friends be able to use the pop-up "clubhouse" so they could "plan their villainous plans". I'm getting Wild Things vibez. 

The question that's been haunting me still haunts. Who will this child see me being? A free person, a fearful one? A happy one? A relieved one? A brave person, a cowering one? A relegated one? A hopeful one? One who's given in? I don't know the answer to these question, but I do feel like seeking them within community, around other artists, is the key. In here, we find survival.

Speaking of survival, I took a meeting recently with Tamara from Family of Woodstock, our nearby neighbors. Family is an organization that I've fundraised for several times in the past; they've been around for fifty years.

From their website: "Since 1970, FAMILY has been an anchor for area residents- a place where people are respectful and caring, and where the search for solutions is creative and tireless. FAMILY's shelters, emergency food pantries, domestic violence services, court advocates, counseling and case management services, hotlines, and child care supports all work together to help people achieve the changes they seek. Our services are, with few exceptions, free of charge and confidential. ANY PROBLEM UNDER THE SUN."

Here's a little list of what they offer:

Tamara told me and Gracie, who went over with me, about the surge in DV (Domestic Violence) help needed especially at the end of the school year.

My eyes started welling as she explained that this happens every year. Women stay in abusive domestic relationships until the school year ends so as not to disrupt their kids' lives. Then, at the end of the school year, they try to break free and need emergency support, housing, a safe locked door to sleep behind. Fuck.

So we are going to create a strong alliance with these wonderful folks across the way, and we're going to support them all we can - with money, with energy, and with donations. They're in constant need of supplies, and if people are coming to our Third Space constantly and can bring stuff that the community needs, we are happy to act as a railroad.

We will try to help. I need this too, it's a big part of my own healing right now.

So much love, and hug many of you soon.

xxx

AFP

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Check it:

In 'blast from the past' department, Bust Magazine just posted this shoot that I did for them back in 2012:

I had totally forgotten about this. It made me smile.

Photographed by @mz_amber_gray
Styled by @guillaumeboulez
Makeup by @robertgreenemakeup
Hair by yoichiny.

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On THAT note, you GOTTA GO SEE THIS reel that Elizabeth (our current social media fairy) put up of the Dresden Dolls doing a HOTTTTTT photoshoot at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe.

There were portals. THERE WERE BUNK BEDS!

It's here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs1WNsAgPRu/

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Also from the media department - here's an interview I JUST did with KBAC Radio Free Santa Fe, straight from soundcheck on Saturday night at Meow Wolf...we talk about songwriting, the new dolls material, Meow Wolf, and more.

https://post.futurimedia.com/kbac/playlist/listen-906.html

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WHAT ELSE HAPPENED & WENT OUT THIS MONTH

Following last month's Althing, the solo AFP tour hit up two final shows - first up in Poughkeepsie...

(all photos by Krys Fox)

Joined on stage by Svitlana (aka @wu.woman) for Machete and Drowning In The Sound...

And then onto Boston...

(photo by Dave Habeeb)

AN AUDIENCE PROPOSAL! Before "The Ride"

(photos by Kelly Davidson)

(Photo by Lisa Aileen Dragani)

Storey Littleton joinined for back-up vocals on Whakanewha, and acoustic guitar on Another Christmas...

(photo by Dave Habeeb)

And since it was the night before my birthday - my long-time tour manager Jaron surprised me on-stage with a cake...

Here we ARE.

(Photos by Lisa Aileen Dragani)

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And after getting home, a belated birthday present... I got covid again, for the second time. There went that fucking week.

......

After reading Donald Trump's lawyer questioning E Jean Carroll about why she didn't scream while being raped, I fired off a quick Instagram post.

I was not expecting over 1,000 comments from people sharing their own stories, hugging each other, believing each other.

I leaned on the patreon, felt inspired to expand the piece, phoned my copy-editor, and we posted it up to Substack a couple of days later as an official Thing:

Read the post here. I'm deeply proud of it.

https://amandapalmer.substack.com/p/you-never-screamed

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I also made a quick appearance at Golly Presents, a little pop-up event hosted by Holly and Gracie here in Woodstock. It was so homey. Just a good ol-fashioned backyard concert. I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. It was nice to play for strangers.

(You can join their mailing list HERE: https://www.gollypresents.com/).

(photos by @mulographynyc)

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And then we've barrelled merrily along straight into.... DRESDEN DOLLS TIME.

Here's a shot from our rehearsal space:

And some photos from the first weekend in Denver, by Glenn Ross...

Veronica Swift joining us for Delilah...

(photo by @crayolastrumpet)

(photo by Alison Hughes)

(photo by Alison Hughes)

(photo by Alison Hughes)

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And from Santa Fe, inside the wonderful and weird world of Meow Wolf....

(photo by Deanna Leist Aliano)

(photo by Deanna Leist Aliano)

(photo by Deanna Leist Aliano)

(photo by Deanna Leist Aliano)

Veronica Swift joining us once again for Delilah

(photo by Michael McComiskey)

(photo by Michael McComiskey)

(photo by Michael McComiskey)

(photo by Michael McComiskey)

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The excellent folks from Punk Rock Saves Lives are joining us on the road too - with their amazing wellness kits and supplies...

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There have also been patron meet-ups in both Denver and Santa Fe... the community has really been showing up strong and organizing the meet-ups while I've been totally overwhelmed.

Here's the crew in Denver...

(photo by Scott Hanes)

And at Santa Fe, in front of the giant robot...

(photo by Liz Grammaticas)

Most planning seems to be happening on the Shadowbox, with some cross-posting to the Official Facebook group, so Orlando and NOLA... your time is coming up soon, get yerselves down there. And if nobody has made a plan yet  - BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE, especially if you're local and know a good spot for 20-30 people to hang out.... shout and spread the word :)

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And.... LAST-CALL LYRIC-PROJECT TIME!

After last month's Earth Day shirt drop (send us photos if you picked one up!) we've once again teamed up to make another merch line for a good cause.

This time we're working with Bravehood, who reached out asking if they could use some of my lyrics.

I polled on Instagram and found some of the hardest-hitting lyrics I've written, and we came up with three options:

- "Sing for the teachers who told you that you couldn't sing"

- "I am exactly the person that I want to be"

- "You motherfuckers you'll sing some day"

All of them are available on shirts, hoodies and tote bags, in a whole array of colors, you can see them all at:

https://supportbravehood.org/en-us/collections/amanda-palmer

The collection is only available until May 31st - TODAY - so get on it quick!!!

All proceeds from the shirts are going to War Child, a UK-based charity that works worldwide to help children affected by war. They work in four main areas: protecting, educating, supporting communities, and campaigning.

All the merch produced is eco-friendly certified and sustainably produced, made of organic cotton.

Here's the link again!

https://supportbravehood.org/en-us/collections/amanda-palmer

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WHAT'S COMIN' DOWN THE PIKE

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I've also been mulling over the name of the Substack.....It started out as "Ask Amanda", when I opened it solely as an advice column. But as time has rolled on, I'm finding it's a great platform to use for writing of all sorts.

I'm still going to be answering questions as and when I have the time and bandwidth, but I'd like to spread the scope out a little to encompass anything.

From the poll I posted, it seems like there was a preference for "It's Just a Ride", but it wasn't a huge lead...hm......

Then I posted to twitter, and WAIT IT GETS WEIRDER WON BY A LONG SHOT.

So: I'm still mulling - and I'll still be reading the comments here if anyone has anything else to throw into the ring.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

We're just about half-way through the Dresden Dolls run, and we have a couple weeks now until the tour resumes  in Orlando and New Orleans.

It's been so fun to take the Dolls out on the road and out of our usual haunts (we haven't played in the US outside of either coast since about 2010, holy shit).

And speaking of the coasts... WE'RE COMING BACK TO NEW YORK.

We'll be back in WOODSTOCK in August/September, and then we'll be playing in NEW YORK CITY (our first NYC shows since 2016) in October.

THE LINKS FOR NYC and UPSTATE JUST WENT OUT TO THE DOLLS LIST TODAY.

If you missed them, you should have....been on the list. :)

I know you're probably sick of me saying this by now, buuuuut.....

GET. ON. THE. GODDAMN. MAILING. LIST.

The NYC venue is way, way, WAY tinier than the last time we played in the city, so these tickets will absolutely fly.

Just like all the Dolls shows in the past year, the mailing list will get first crack at tickets, and if there are any tickets left they'll go on sale to the public later.

So for the love of god.....

SIGN UP HERE:

https://dresdendolls.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b178afd80f2aefeccd4edf969&id=9b9ff8fd23

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DISPATCHES FROM TEAM AFP

From Michael:

Hello Patrons from a cafe in Santa Fe (do you know the way?).  I'm on the road with the Dolls which has been amazing.

It dawned on me that prior to the Friday show in Denver, the last Dresden Dolls show that I worked in person was in October of 2018!  Once again the Covid-Time-Warp has bent reality and any kind of awareness of the passage of time.  I know that many of you know what I’m talking about.

I know I’ve said it before, but being at the shows and seeing all your wonderful faces and all the playing cards and hearing so many of you singing along just fills my heart and makes all the long nights, travel headaches, and levels of exhaustion so worth it.  One of the reasons I love this band so fucking much is because I can see how much you, the audience, the fans, the patrons love and support Brian and Amanda.  Every show is just magical, and so much of it is because of this community.

I have a friend in Denver who I knew from when he lived in Brooklyn.  I invited him to be my guest at the shows unsure if he had even ever heard of the Dresden Dolls before. . . he hadn’t.  Just by being at the show he was instantly welcomed into the fold and made several fast friends over the course of one night.  That’s just a tiny example of how amazing you all are.  I love my job!

Anyway, I could wax on and on about this community and I have several times in the past. . . but I’m continuing to pull double duty while on the Road (Band Assistant + Amanda Assistant) so I’ve got to dive back into the inbox to keep it from overflowing.  But I’ll leave you with a few pictures I was able to snap while working side of stage, at Convergence Station (Meow Wolf: Denver), and one picture of a very happy assistant staying with family on his day off with some very good pups.

(Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox)

(Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox)

(Convergence Station - Meow Wolf)

(Happy Place with Wyatt & Ruby)

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From Liz:

Hello from New York!

I just got back from Sante Fe for the Meow Wolf stint of the Dresden Dolls tour and holy moly.  It was incredible.  I never cease to be in awe of Brian and Amanda, or the community that orbits around them, or that after close to two decades of being a fan of this band, they still have the ability to slaughter me emotionally and kindly repair my soul with love, strength, humor, and an incredible community that will always catch you if you fall.

I've been coordinating the Dresden Dolls brigade remotely for this tour, but I luckily was able to be in person for these shows. Seeing fans being given hand made gifts in line, or having their portrait done in the lobby, or being graced by a wonderful weird nature spirit,  it brought back that magic that helped bring me into the fold in the first place. Joining the brigade back in 2005 is how I stopped being a lurker on the Shadowbox community and stepped across the threshold into the physical magical world that punk cabaret created.   If you're interested in being a part of the brigade for the remaining dates of the show, and/or learn more about it..go here. I may be partial, but I think it's pretty damn cool.

On the last day, I watched Amanda and Brian do an incredible photoshoot at Meow Wolf.  Seeing their interactions emotionally hit me in a very beautiful way , and for a lot of fans too after I posted some of the behind the scenes footage to the Dolls instagram feed.  The rawness, the gentleness, the intimacy, the beauty, the humor, that after all of these years and after everything they've been through.... their dynamics felt so familiar, powerful and so human.  I'm so excited for this next stage of the Dresden Dolls.

<3

Liz

ps here is me doing my own selfie photoshoot at Meow Wolf...trying to be a cartoon. How could I not?

......

From Alex:

Hello folks!

I write to you from London, gazing over longingly at the US and wishing I could be watching the best band in the world playing on the road right now. But sadly, twas not to be this time...

However, a little piece of my blood, sweat and tears are there, in the form of the gorgeous pendant necklaces on the merch table:

These have been produced in the UK, and were delivered to me just as a box of 500 pendants.

So picture the scene: me, sat on my sofa, podcasts galore in the background, as I cut 500 pieces of string, thread 500 necklaces, and wrap them up individually so they don't tangle:

100 finished pendants, with strings resembling Samara's hair from The Ring:

I finished them at my parents' house, while assisting in babysitting my 4 year old niece, who was delightfully enchanted with "the naked lady with boobies".

I hope they're finding beautiful homes out on the road - if you've picked one up, post photos!!

It's the first time we've made merch like this for the Dolls, so I'm intrigued to see how crowds will respond to them - I love them personally.

And.... in personal news this month, I finish knitting myself a cardigan that has taken five months:

I also went on holiday to Spain - my first proper package holiday in about 8 years, and I was so looking forward to sitting by a poolside with drinks on tap and reading for 6 solid days...... and then easyjet lost our suitcase on the way out, so it was slightly less relaxing than intended.

But I'm pleased to report I still managed a healthy amount of lying and relaxing and still had time to get through 3 books (in my new locally-acquired Benidorm t-shirt)

Alrighty, until next time - if you are seeing any of the Dolls shows I am infinitely jealous, but have THE BEST time.

Take care of each other!

-Alex

xoxox

......

HOW THE PATREON ITSELF IS DOING

As of this writing there are about 10,100 patrons pledging about $33,000 for the first Thing each month.

A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NEWCOMERS: you are welcome to (and encouraged to) CAP YOUR PLEDGE.

CAP CAP CAP CAP!!!!!

I sometime release one thing a month; sometimes three. We know this can create financial insecurity and uncertainty - so Patreon allows you to cap your pledge. This is, essentially, setting a MAXIMUM amount that you want to pay per month.

YOU CAN BUDGET. Say for example, you're happy to pay $3 per Thing, but you don't want to pay more than $10 a month. In that's the case, you can "cap" your pledge at $10, and whether I release 4 Things or 4,400 Things, you won't be charged more than $10. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, you will still have access to ALL the things/posts/links, even if you cap your pledge!!! It doesn't effect your access.

You can read all about capping your pledge here.

I go over this stuff in every Althing, but if you're new to all this: Patreon charges you monthly & retroactively, meaning that you get billed on the 1st of the month for all the Things released the month prior.

Because people have their pledges capped (SEE ABOVE), the first "Thing" raises the most money by far, and anything released thereafter raises less and less. I LIKE THIS! THIS IS GOOD! It means I never feel guilty about releasing TOO MUCH!!

So really. Please, cap your pledge.

......

In April, I Thanged THREE Things:

"What It Feels Like To Get Divorced— And Possibly Remarried— at TED 2023: An Offering From Your Emotional-Reporter-at-Large", which earned about $36,946 from 10,112 patrons

The State of All Things: April 2023, which earned about $15,620 from 5,600 patrons.

NinjaTED 2023 live stream, which earned about $9,313 from 3,435 patrons.

(we say "about" because patreon may be still trying to process some pledges that have yet to go through...we never know, you know.)

Them's the numbers.

And remember: these numbers are gross. Not net. Meaning: it's the money raised before fees were deducted by patreon and is not the total deposited to me. patreon takes a 5% fee (which they use to build and sustain the platform, which is GOOD) and then there's a payment processing fee, which varies on a ton of factors and is usually between 5-9% of the total collected.

These numbers also do not reflect the money I SPENT MAKING THE ART, paying my staff, paying the office rent, paying for crowdcast, getting myself around, getting the team around and fed and slept, all the collaborators, and my actual staff payroll, etc.

I don't share that level of nitty-detail-stuff with you because I assume it would bore you to fucking tears. but you can trust me: paying for a full-time staff, office, manager, accountant, and massive team of art-collaborators ain't cheap. sometimes we barely break even.

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ARTISTS TO SUPPORT & OTHER STUFF TO CHECK OUT

My gorgeous and inspiring pal Jeffrey Marsh has written a book that's coming out next month - "Take Your Own Advice."

They're sending me an advance copy, so I'll be sure to post and let you know what I think of it, but for now you can pre-order your copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593541170

And you can follow Jeffrey on Instagram, and you won't regret it:

https://www.instagram.com/thejeffreymarsh/

And they have a Patreon too....help:

https://www.patreon.com/jeffreymarsh/

......

And I'm currently reading this bit of light reading in between the Dolls shows...

Working Girl: On Selling Art and Selling Sex by Sophia Giovannitti

Sex and art, we're told, are sacred, two spheres that ought to be kept separate from the ravages of the marketplace. Yet both prop up two incredibly lucrative industries, built on the commodification of creativity and desire, authenticity and intimacy. Our reaction to this should not be moral or political outrage, nor legal regulation or denial, but rather-as Sophia Giovannitti argues here-acceptance, through which we can find a more autonomous way to live.

In this searching and provocative work, drawing on cultural and political theory, the contemporary art world, and the author's own experience as a sex worker and artist trying to make a living, Giovannitti argues that if we delve into our anxieties around art and sex, we can instead find new ways to live and spaces, however small, of freedom. When there is nothing left to protect, she argues, everything is possible.

It's out TODAY - go ahead and find out where to order here:

https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/2847-working-girl

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ART BEGETTING ART

Gorgeous DD banner painted by @softservedgentleman

Gorgeous "IN MY MIND" tattoo art from the facebook group, tattooed on Laura McLaughlin.....

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THE PATRON COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

We got this message in from Beth, who's part of an effort to rally the troops in Florida to fight for abortion rights....

A citizen-led ballot initiative process has just kicked off in Florida, and we need to get almost a million signatures in only 8 months. If we’re successful, Floridians would then get a chance to vote directly on adding abortion protections to our state constitution. It’s a very exciting prospect!

More info about the ballot initiative:

- linktr.ee/floridiansprotectingfreedom

- floridiansprotectingfreedom.com

Easily shareable content on all the socials is under: flprotectfree

Beth and some other of the excellent folks from the organization will be AT THE DOLLS SHOWS in Orlando, armed with clipboards getting folks to sign the petition, but if you live in Florida - go ahead and get yourself informed and sign.

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If you have anything you'd like to share with the community in these Althing posts, crowdfunders to share or things to show off and advertise, email them to Alex at patronhelp@amandapalmer.net!

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LOVE FOR NOW.

I am so grateful to all of you.

And thanks to Alex for helping pull links, info, and photos for this post, as usual.

xx

AFP

------THE NEVER-ENDING AS ALWAYS---------

1. if you are a patron and new to my work, don’t forget your patronage allows you access to ALL of my patreon releases to date. HERE is the link to download my latest big solo record, “There Will Be No Intermission”, and HERE is a link to download the PDF of the art/essay book that goes with it.

2. if you’re a patron reading this post via an email notification, please click through to comment on this post. at the very least, if you’ve read it, indicate that by using the heart symbol. that's always nice for me to see, so i know who's reading.

3. see All the Things (over 150 of them) i've made so far on patreon:

http://amandapalmer.net/things

4. JOIN THE SHADOWBOX COMMUNITY FORUM, find your people, and discuss everything: https://forum.theshadowbox.net/

5. new to my music and TOTALLY OVERWHELMED? TAKE A WALK THROUGH AMANDALANDA….we made a basic list of my greatest hits n stuff (at least up until a few years ago, this desperately needs updating) on this lovely page: http://amandalanda.amandapalmer.net/

6. general AFP/patreon-related questions? ask away, someone will answer: patronhelp@amandapalmer.net