BECOMING A MEMBER

AgX is always seeking new members! We value an open and diverse membership and welcome filmmakers, photographers, artists, inventors and other curious souls who have an interest in sharing access to tools and resources for their personal work, in addition to those  who want to participate in the collective's workshops, work-in-progress screenings, and  member meetings. Members do not need an extensive background in film or video to join AgX – only a desire to share, inspire and learn.  

We collaborate together through shared monthly member meetings and as part of smaller linked working groups based on our learning interests and skill sets.

MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES

Benefits to AgX membership include: 

  • Peer support, artistic discourse, interchange of creative ideas and technical information with other local moving-image artists 

  • Participation in an organization dedicated to non-hierarchical structure which is  supportive of individual initiative

  • Access to the darkroom, chemistry, cameras, flatbed editors, and other shared  equipment 

  • Technical knowledge and resource sharing 

  • Opportunities to participate in regular work-in-progress screenings 

  • Opportunities to participate in member-only filmmaking workshops 

  • Discounts on public filmmaking workshops 

Expectations: 

  • Participation in one or more working groups of your choice, contributing to AgX activities that align with your personal or artistic interests. 

  • Commitment to the collective's values of open access, shared knowledge and  collaboration. 

  • Commitment to sustaining these activities through payment of monthly membership  dues and/or other fundraising efforts

Dues:

We ask that all members contribute by making monthly payments based on a sliding scale. Dues provide crucial support to cover the cost of rent ($2000/month), utilities (approx $200/month), and other ongoing expenses associated with the general operations and upkeep  of our space.

We have chosen these guidelines for dues with an understanding that each member’s financial situation may vary widely. We ask that AgX members reflect on their access to resources and contribute accordingly. Contributing more helps keep AgX accessible to those with fewer resources and/or less financial stability. By using a sliding scale we aim to keep access to AgX as broad as possible.

The Sliding Scale or Green Bottle Method :

One Sliding Scale model, a tool that members can use to self-assess their contribution toward dues (aka The Green Bottle Method) was created by Alexis J. Cunningfolk. You can find a detailed description and guidelines here. 

In addition to self-assessment using the green bottle method, here are dues amounts  suggested as starting points when deciding your monthly dues payment: 

  • Less than $40-60/month - If the suggested amount would pose a hardship for you, any amount you are able to pay is helpful, in addition to any volunteer hours you are able to offer. Dues are a way of showing a commitment to the community that is AgX, but that the commitment to community is the most important thing and there are other ways of showing this if you're facing financial hardship.

  • Suggested Amount $40-60/month - This suggested rate was calculated by taking into account the current number of members and the amount that AgX would need to cover its monthly expenses, while allowing that some members will contribute more in monthly dues as they are able. 

  • Greater than $40-60/month - If you can afford to pay more than the Suggested Rate we encourage you to contribute at a higher level, in addition to any volunteer hours you are able to offer. We  suggest this dues level as an act of solidarity with and inclusion of fellow members. Any dues-paying member that joins helps keep AgX in motion as we work toward a sustainable future. You will be helping immensely to keep this great community resource accessible. 

Interested in membership or have any questions?

Just send us an email at hi@agxfilm.org. In your email, please let us know what your areas of interest and experience are (beginners welcome!) and how you'd like to get  involved. One of our current members will get back to you.