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The Collaboratory

New Website Providing FREE E-Commerce Storefronts to Local Artists

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Times of crisis can act as a stimulus for the creative spirit. COVID-19 is no exception.

Art by Amy Kollar Anderson

Spending more time in his home office, Mile Two VP of Engineering and Code for Dayton co-Captain Dave Best really began to notice his bare walls. Our #DaytonStrong resilience has been demonstrated by our giving to the COVID-19 fund at The Dayton Foundation to our support for our essential workers, from healthcare to those working in grocery and drug stores to those delivering our mail and packages. Many Daytonians have made an extra effort to support our local restaurants by ordering carry-out or delivery, or purchasing growlers of locally-brewed craft beer. Musicians, on their own or through venues like The Old Yellow Cab, have set up virtual concerts where the audience can donate online.


TwinEbonyUrns by Katie Clark Gabbard



After staring at the walls, the obvious question was “What about our visual artists”? Aren’t they essential to helping bring beauty and meaning to our lives? How can the community help support them at a time when the studios, galleries, coffee shops and restaurants where they typically show their work are closed?

Drying by Eva Lewis

I have known Dave 5+ years. He reached out to me last Friday because on my connections in the art community and because The Collaboratory’s reputation for incubating projects from ideas to action. He  wanted to know if I thought it was feasible. I said hell yes and jumped right in. 

The idea behind Essential Artists Dayton is to offer a FREE (at least through May 30) platform for Dayton visual artists to set up an online storefront. And by FREE, we mean 100% of sales, less any processing charges, goes to the artists. In addition to putting this out to my artists friends and the major artist organization, I specifically reached out to artist Megan Fiely. We met when she came back to town, but really connect when she started raising Tornado Relief funds from the local community of artists. She have been helpful in the co-creation process, beta testing the storefront set-up and getting the word out.

Dayton Arcade by Matt Blair



All art purchased through Essential Artists Dayton will be available for pick-up at The Collaboratory, Monday – Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM or by appointment. The exchange will be made while practicing appropriate social distancing. The Collaboratory is located at 114 West First Street, Suite B, in Talbott Tower.

 
Currently eight storefronts are live and 10 sales have already been completed.
This guest post contributed by Peter Benkendorf, Founder & Catalyst of The Collaboratory

Dayton Porchfest offers free music in a beautiful neighborhood!

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Dayton Porchfest is an annual event occurring the final Saturday of August in St Anne’s Hill. PHOTO BY LIBBY BALLENGEE

Dayton Porchfest is back for a third year! It’s a day where music fills the streets and porches of St Anne’s Hill, one of Dayton’s most charming historic neighborhoods. It’s a free, family friendly event that runs from 1:30-7pm on Saturday August 24, 2019.

​Dayton has a rich musical history and active music scene, which continues today. Dayton Porchfest is committed to reflecting that in its selection of musical artists, from funk and blues to indie rock and jazz, classical and country, to bluegrass and old timey that has deep Appalachian traditions here. The event also celebrates the ethnic diversity of the region, a reflection of our “Welcome Dayton” spirit that has contributed to a significant influx of immigrants and refugees over the past decade.

​Dayton Porchfest is an initiative of The Collaboratory, a civic innovation lab that moves ideas to action. The Collaboratory provides infrastructure for people and organizations to collaboratively develop community initiatives that generate new economic, civic and creative opportunities and value. The result is a healthier, more thriving region. All proceeds from Dayton Porchfest go to support the work of The Collaboratory.

How to Go?

When: Saturday August 24, 2019. 1:30pm kickoff. 2-7pm music. Link to full . schedule – click here or see below

Where: Throughout St Anne’s Historic Neighborhood (E 5th St, just east of Keowee). Link to map – click here or see below

Who: All ages welcome!

Cost: Free (tips for musicians accepted!)

 

New Year, New Home For The Collaboratory

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After 7.5 years on Courthouse Square, the The Collaboratory, Dayton’s Civic Innovation Lab, is starting 2019 in it’s new home in the Talbott Tower concourse, located at West First and Ludlow. “Although  a regional organization, The Collaboratory is committed to remaining in the urban core, and being part of the ongoing downtown revitalization,” says founder Peter Benkendorf.   The Collaboratory moves ideas to action, providing infrastructure for people and organizations to collaboratively develop community initiatives that generate new economic, civic and creative opportunities and value. The result is a healthier, more thriving region.”

Even if you haven’t heard about The Collaboratory, you may have experienced some of their initiatives since they began in  January of 2009:

Blue Sky Project- An artist-centered program committed to producing significant works of contemporary art

The 510 Project  a collaboration with Loretta Puncer and Gallery 510

The Ten Living Cities Symposium, a response to the 2008 Forbes Ten Fastest Dying Cities list;


The TECH-ARTS Collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab and the Wright Brothers Institute; Dayton Ohio

You Are Here! an insurgent civic pride multidisciplinary arts installation

The Collaboration Accelerator, now a part of the Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation at the University of Dayton

3rd on Third/3rd Sundays at Front Street outdoor market

The Arts Collaboratory, an alternative arts space at West Second and Ludlow

Dayton Sewing Collaborative, now an independent non-profit organization

Dayton Porchfest, a free neighborhood music festival in St. Anne’s Hill that highlights the depth and diversity of the Dayton music scene. The 3rd Annual Dayton Porchfest is Saturday, August 24.

We asked Peter to tells us what’s on the agenda for 2019 and he shared that it’s looking to be a very busy year.  Here’s what’s in progress or coming online are:

Wellcare Miami Valley is looking to develop a regional approach to universal healthcare and wellness

X FACTOR is re-imagining ex-offender re-entry from the perspective of formerly incarcerated individuals while trying to change how the community sees ex-offenders;

Dayton Regional Solar, a collaboration with students from the University of Dayton’s Hanley Sustainability Institute, is building a movement for solar and renewable energy in the region;

Next Chapter Collaborative is being incubated at The Collaboratory. It helps individuals 55+ think about a final career change or develop a professional or volunteer engagement plan when looking to downshift from full-time work.

In the spring we will we relaunching a national philanthropic web site to support civic innovation around the country. Developed by a young Chicago-based entrepreneur who co-founded a start-up that was funded on Shark Tank in 2015, The Collaboratory is building a national leadership team, as we look to disrupt philanthropy and impact by engaging Millennials and GenZs.

We are also working with local developers involved in the Santa Clara to jump-start residential migration to this historic neighborhood in the heart of the North Main Street corridor. Lastly, we are convening a community conversation we are calling “Re-Imagining America, Starting in Dayton”. It is our response to the September Frontline/ProPublica documentary. Just like the Forbes Ten Fast Dying Cities list opened the door for the Ten Living Cities symposium, so too has the Frontline piece given us permission engage in a very different way around what the future of our region could look like.

How can people get involved?

There are two ways to engage with The Collaboratory:

1) get involved in one of our initiatives and

2) bring us an idea fro something you want to start to see how we can help you move your idea to action. Contact us at: collab@daytoncollaboratory.org or 937.732.5123

Peter Benkendorf

Our final question to Peter was what else should we know?

No other city in the country has a space like The Collaboratory, part civic innovation lab, part community collaboration hub. What makes us particularly unique is our ability to work in and cross-pollinate from so many different parts of the community, from legacy poverty, food access and healthcare, to the arts, solar energy and neighborhood revitalization.

If you want to support the work of The Collaboratory with a tax-deductible donation, please visit our web site at www.daytoncollaboratory.org and click the DONATE button. Checks can be made out and sent to Involvement Advocacy (the legal entity—The Collaboratory is a d/b/a), P.O. Box 10506, Dayton, Ohio 45402.

Civic Innovation Lab Launches Crowd Funding Campaign

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Just off of Courthouse Square is a small office that has been making some big things happen in the Dayton Region.  The Collaboratory serves as Dayton’s Civic Innovation Lab, the brainchild of Peter Benkendorf.

In order to grow the Dayton region’s economic and social capital, the Collaboratory provides the Collaborative Infrastructure—the physical space, portfolio of initiatives, engagement tools and support system—for people from across the region to come together to imagine and act upon new possibilities for themselves, each other and the community, with a particular interest in downtown.

Not unlike the Reference/Help Desk at the Library, people are constantly being directed or finding their way to The Collaboratory. They provide counsel and support in the following areas:

  • Visioning: help people think through where they are and where they want to go.
  • Planning: help develop action plans to realize the vision.
  • Connecting:  they help connect individuals with the right people and organizations to help them implement their plans and realize their vision.

 

In order to keep the Collaboratory running, they’ve launched a month-long crowd-funding campaign, with a goal of $50,000 to help support the development of its new initiatives, which include:

  • X FACTOR: Changing the Way the Community Sees Ex-Offenders
  • Dayton Regional Solar
  • Miami Valley Regional Healthcare
  • Legacy Poverty Project
  • Impact Dayton
  • Regional Purchasing Initiative
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies $1 Million Public Art Challenge
  • Retirepreneur
  • Go-Kart Track on top of the Transportation Center Parking Garage.

 

On-going initiatives include:

 

Past initiatives include:

  • Blue Sky Project
  • Ten Living Cities Symposium
  • Project 510
  • Dayton, Ohio: You Are Here!
  • Drum Dayton
  • TECH-ARTS Collaboration
  • Collaboration Accelerator (now housed at UD

 

To support the Collaboratory’s crowd funding campaign,
use the Facebook link which has no service fee deducted or through their web site using PayPal .

 

For more information, visit www.daytoncollaboratory.org

Dayton: What’s the Big Idea?

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934168_1087183221322572_4339918664371915982_nDayton: What’s the Big Idea? The Collaboratory, Dayton’s Civic Innovation Lab, wants to find out! They are hosting an open house and idea exchange, and they are inviting YOU and your ideas!

The Collaboratory, located in downtown’s Courthouse Square, is focused on building a more thriving region—one where people feel more purposeful, more connected and more optimistic—requires bold thinking and fearless action. While there is much we can be proud of in our community, nibbling around the edges is not going to move the needle in terms of unleashing all of our indigenous talent and generating a whole new portfolio of economic, social and creative capital opportunities.

The Collaboratory is inviting all of Dayton’s Dreamers & Doers to share their bold ideas and connect with other like-motivated citizen-dreamers to imagine and begin to act upon becoming the best Dayton we can be. As leaders at The Collaboratory say: We don’t need an institution to tell us what’s next. We don’t need to ask for permission. Rather we need to share our passions and forge collaborations that are only possible when we get beyond our traditional circles. Come, and be part of the change you want to see.

How to go? Wednesday February 10th 4-7pm at The Collaboratory at 33 N Main St Dayton OH. Free event!

You can also learn more about The Collaboratory on a Gem City Podcast episode here.

“The best way to predict the future is to design it.” – Buckminster Fuller

Welcome to The Collaboratory!

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The Collaboratory Logo

Cities are amazing things. Their growth during the 17th and 18th centuries helped lay the foundation for some of the largest leaps in thought in that era, and have continued to be a source of innovation ever since. A conversation in one of the booming coffee houses in 17th century London lead to the writing of Newton’s Principia; another chat lead to the creation of Lloyd’s of London, the world’s first insurance agency. The Industrial Revolution grew slowly within cities, drawing people in with opportunities for economic growth. The density of people in urban centers helped to spread ideas by developing a fertile environment for it. The more seeds of ideas that are planted in one area, the better the chances those thoughts will bump into each other and spawn completely new, innovative thoughts. The internet may have us more connected to more resources than ever before, but there is still something special about meeting people face to face. Adding a personality and a voice to all those interesting Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates. That is where The Collaboratory, a new place for people to connect, share, and develop, comes in.

The Collaboratory is located at Courthouse Square, the hub of downtown Dayton, and provides a space for everyone to use. There is a wealth of talent in this area, and we are seeing it grow in leaps and bounds. It is being developed in homes and small offices through the city, people working long days on labors of love. The Collaboratory is a space for people who are looking for more tools, a change of scenery, and more access to expert advice on building a business. It is for entrepreneurs who are just starting out and looking for help and for established businesses needing a place to work on larger projects. Being downtown encourages a wider group of people to come and utilize the space, attracting politicians, students, non-profit experts, and civic leaders to interact and develop new ideas to enhance the Miami Valley. It is within walking distance to many resources, like the Metro Branch of the Dayton Public Library, Sinclair Community College, and Boston Stoker. Physically, it offers one of the largest white boards in the Miami Valley, as well as internet access, public and individual tables, and the ability to be reserved for morning and evening meetings. All of this access costs just $5 and a mention on social media!

The Collaboratory pricing

Connect and collaborate for the cost of a few beers. What could be better?

This venture has been spearheaded by Peter Benkendorf, someone who has believed strongly in this community since he moved here in 2008. He is head of Involvement Advocacy, a group dedicated to encouraging collaborative efforts and creating support systems for those seeking to build a better Dayton. By developing spaces and events that bring people together, better known as Collaborative Infrastructure, Involvement Advocacy is looking to put our city on the map with St. Louis, New York, and Oakland as leaders in innovation. Spaces like this foster interaction with thinkers in diverse industries, ones that may not otherwise have a chance to sit down at a table together. This is where new concepts are developed, ones that can add a fresh sparkle to the Gem City.

Cities are engines for developing new ideas, and Dayton has the talent and imagination to make its own future. The Collaboratory wants to collect that imagination and turn it into businesses, actions, and inspiration to go out and connect with members of your community. There are many places in Dayton you can go outside of your office to get some work done. There are few where you have all of the resources you need to assemble something new. This space will be open on Monday, January 18th from 10 AM to 4 PM. We look forward to seeing and reporting about all of the phenomenal new ideas to come out of The Collaboratory! What will you be heading downtown to build?

Show Planning On Making Community ‘Feel The Beat Of The City’

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drum-dayton-courthouse-squareThe universal language of drumming has many layers to it.  The rhythm and beat to drumming is beautiful, exotic, and spiritual.  For some cultures, drumming helps with the lines of communications within their group or other tribes.  Some cultures see drumming as a way of healing.  For most folks, hearing the rhythmic drumming symbolizes good times, and have individuals gather around to dance with another, laughing, smiling, and being carefree.  Places like the legendary city New Orleans will have groups of drummers play in the streets all day and night.  These type of events that Peter Benkendorf and the group The Collaboratory got the idea that will come to life this Saturday night at Courthouse Square in Dayton.  The affair is titled Drum Dayton-Feel the Beat.

The Collaboratory is part of Benkendorf’s own group which he founded, Involvement Advocacy.  Involvement Advocacy was born in 1992 in Chicago, and the mission was to provide citizens the opportunity and resources to address systemic challenges facing the community, by providing frameworks for new possibilities and collaborative action.  According to Involvement Advocacy’s website, they are fostering imaginative, pioneering, civic engagement and community building initiatives that touch on issues ranging from public housing and urban renewal, to the arts and the environment, from youth development and cross-cultural connections, to technology advancement and community gardens.  “We really want to get everyone back to coming out and really supporting this great city”, Benkendorf explained.  “This city has a lot to offer and we want people to witness that themselves.”

Drum Dayton will be presenting drum lines, drum groups, individual drummers, and collaborations, followed by a community “drum circle”.  The goal is to present the elegance of communicating through drumming, and present to attendees the rich history and splendor that drumming offers.  “We wanted to have everyone come and see drumming that they haven’t witness before”, Benkendorf said.  “We want people to maybe even get influenced to the point that they maybe would like to get involved in drumming.”

The tentative schedule for Drum Dayton is:

4:00   Chaske Hotain Native American Drummers

4:30   Joseph Glenn Steel Pan Duo

boku

Baoku Moses

5:00   Michael Bashaw’s Bamboo Stick Orchestra

5:30   University of Dayton Drumline

6:00   Wright State University Percussion Ensemble

6:30   Baoku – Nigerian Hand Drummer

7:00   Dayton Phil. Orchestra Percussion Trio

7:30  West Side Drum Corps

  • Dakota 3DI
  • Dayton Young & Gifted
  • T.R.S.S. Drumline

8:30   DrumDayton Collaborative

9:00   Community Drum Circle

 

Don’t worry, food trucks will be at the event all night for those who develop a hunger of watching the show.  The vendors who will be there are:

• McNasty’s

• El Meson Express559555_377404845671954_1674175345_n

• Horseless Buggy Eatery

• Courtland’s Mobile Grill

• Sweet Eats

 

Drum Dayton will be providing the community a shot of fresh life that will once again give the people in town even more reason to say that they live in one of the best cities in the United States.

For more info, click on the event Facebook page here.