Who We Are and Our Idea:

• Culture Mill is a 501 ( c )( 3 ) organization based in Saxapahaw, NC. We develop projects that combine artistic and community-based initiatives. We foster collaboration, exchange and new models for creative place-making.
• We have a 44-seat blue bird bus; we have readied it to run on biodiesel and we plan to put it to use for both regular public transportation to and from Saxapahaw, and also to facilitate original and dynamic site-specific cultural events. The bus itself was a generous gift from Saxapahaw residents and business owners: Doug Williams and Claire Haslam.
• We will begin by commissioning four amazing new site-specific artworks (dances, installations, concerts), and taking audiences to them by bus in the summer of 2015; we will then begin a regular transportation route between Saxapahaw and Carrboro, NC in the fall. We will develop further routes as we build our capacity.
• Using the bus for public transportation will not only bring people to and from work, school and existing cultural events in Saxapahaw, but will further our mission to cross-pollinate communities, spreading awareness of various cultural activities in order to grow a population engaged with art and creativity in general.
• The bus is not yet named. We took community suggestions for the name of the bus at Culture Mill's launch party and our bus team will make a decision by the end of April.
  
• Helping us get this project off the ground will launch an innovative program that both meets community transportation needs and supports new artistic and cultural initiatives. In short, it is a new model for creative communities.

What We Need & What You Get:

• We need $10,000 dollars to get this program off the ground. This money will be split between the transportation and artistic elements of the bus. Funds will be used for 1 year of insurance, bio-diesel fuel, drivers, artistic costs for four site-specific events around Saxapahaw, NC, as well as maintenance costs.
  
• All donations are tax-deductible, and rewards include free passes on the bus, growlers from Haw River Farm House Ales, dinners at the Eddy Restaurant and Pub, gift certificates with Haw River Canoe and Kayak Company, memberships to Saxapahaw Shiftwork Co-working Space, group and private yoga classes, private Argentine Tango Instruction, massages and tickets to a show of your choice at the award-winning Haw River Ballroom!
  
• If we do not make our goal of $10,000, we will still use contributed funds for the same purposes; we will however, scale back the amount of biodiesel fuel, the scale of art events, the range of initial possible routes, and will rely more heavily on bus fares to get our project going. 
• If we exceed our goal, funds in excess of $10,000 will simply create more capacity and greater possibilities in both transportation and artistic projects.
  

Who exactly will this project impact?

• Those who enjoy dynamic and ground-breaking site-specific art events and want to be part of innovative ideas and new models.
  
• Those who live in central North Carolina and would use a bus service to and from Saxapahaw.
• Those who live in Saxapahaw and would benefit from a regular bus service to surrounding cities

Why We Can Pull This Off:

• Culture Mill has an incredible community of support ready to assist this project: We are a member of Piedmont Biofuels Coop and enjoy professional consultation on the use of biofuels, we have good mechanics and we have completed an extensive community needs survey with over 100 participants lending their ideas and their vocal support for the benefits and possibilities of this program, and finally, the Saxapahaw community is no stranger to renowned, innovative and successful initiatives.
  

Risks & Challenges:

• Our bus has passed NC state inspection and has been certified in good condition; however, unexpected mechanical issues can slow up the early stages of this program. Therefore we plan to keep a close eye on the mechanics of our bus with regular diagnostic checks, and to have a reserve of funds for any work that needs to be done.
  
• We expect it will be on ongoing process to best understand which routes, times and projects fit the needs of the local community as well as the larger community. To facilitate this process, we plan to keep a fluid conversation going with our community, so that we can be flexible and responsive if problems arise and as community desires and needs continue to be clarf,ied.
  

Other Ways You Can Help:

If you can't contribute, you can still help us out:

• Spread the word about what we are doing. Share our campaign on social media (Indiegogo has great share tools) and by word-of-mouth, and when the time comes for us to launch our bus, come and ride it!