Gregory McKillop is creating
Songs, Stories, Poetry, Comics & Community!
I am polite and sing songs! Hooray!
23
$161
Milestone Goals
3 Milestone Goals
reached
Travel Costs!
Some art I get paid to go do. Other art I don't! This lets me afford to better go play for communities who can't afford to pay me (who are usually the ones who appreciate it the most!)
RENT!
Holy crap, $600 bucks means I can afford to pay rent doing just music and art and things!
FULLY FUNDED!
$800 dollars means I can just about cover all my expenses through my Patreon page. This would be a totally sweet deal!
WHAT?!?!
If my Patreon page ever pulled in a grand every month, I would turn out so much hi-fi and lo-fi content you wouldn't know what to do with it. Also, it would mean I could put aside some money to save for things like my own car and other "real person" stuff that being a full time artist has not afforded me in the past. However, this is also the point when I would start taking %15 and splitting it up between charities and other small time arts endeavors to spread the wealth a little bit. The way I set up my Patreon page is its supposed to be a "pay it forward" kind of model, where those who can afford to pay shell out some cash so that those who can't afford it can still enjoy stuff. If I ever became this successful, I would want to hold myself accountable to follow the same pattern!
More Free Stuff For Everyone
Honestly, I did the math the other day, and if by some stretch of the imagination I was receiving $3000 a month from Patreon, I would be able to afford to pay all my bills, give money to charity, AND go on one tour per month that stretches down the east coast and back (or equivalent). And on that tour I would be able to afford to not take a single dime from any show I played. And I could afford to produce a certain number of copies of my merch and just hand them out for free without a care in the world. And I would STILL have extra cash for fun stuff like taking my boyfriend out to dinner (a bunch) and buying new recording equiptment (a ton of it).
About
I am a queer songwriter, musician, poet, artist but above all storyteller.
Top PatronsSee all 23
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
** I currently have paused my patreon to reflect my lack of ability to create content!**
current projects:
Little Demon On The Back Seat (rock album)
The Grey Closet Mystery School (webcomic)
How To Be a Loser in a Band (webcomic)
Weekly Webcast Performances (concert window)
BEFORE YOU TELL ME WHO GREG IS WHAT IS PATREON?
Patreon is a sort of newish service that is kind of like a kickstarter or indiegogo, but instead of trying to raise money for one big project, you are instead trying to get an audience of monthly subscription at lower prices at a more sustainable rate on both ends to support your craft. This is all under the ideal that you will produce a large amount of free content every month. (note: all or most content is still free regardless)
OK THAT'S COOL WHO ARE YOU?
www.gregorymckillop.com
Hi! My name is Gregory McKillop! You might know me as the founder of projects like Speaker For The Dead, PWYC Recording Studios, from running shows all over the country or just as a quiet little solo acoustic act. I have taken part in the recording and release of 20 albums of music, the construction of an 100 piece national queer folkpunk band, and I set up this Patreon page as a way to keep me doing the stuff that I do at a healthy pace! What do I do you might ask? Well I mostly tell stories. I enjoy finding different mediums to do that in (songs, albums, novellas, comics, poetry, etc). What do I write songs about? Queer Issues! Being in love! Protest Songs! Political Songs! Songs about being a Loser! Songs about how Racism and Sexism and Transphobia are terrible! Songs for Charity Compilation Albums! Songs to Cheer My Friends Up! Songs To Cheer My Friends On! etc etc etc.
But there are two main things I enjoy doing with my life:
1) Tell stories! Hooray!
2) Help other folks feel empowered to tell their stories! Hooray!
I think a huge part of being an artist includes helping other folks realize that they can be artists too if they want to be. I enjoy being a resource for people to ask me how to book shows, organize events for themselves and their community, as well as figure out how to go on their first tour without getting lost or sad or broke. Subscribing to my Patreon allows me to take that money and not only survive on it while making my art that I love to make, but it also allows me extra funds to go perform in communities that do not have enough money to pay me themselves.
Basically, despite all the "incentives" you get for subscribing, the point is really that I love to make songs and art and put it all out there for free. I am just asking folks with some extra cash to sort of pay it forward so that those without cash can still enjoy what I do. If that system doesn't work for you, that's ok! If it does, than hooray!
But I will mostly be using the money to : make art/pay rent/eat food/pay for gas to get to shows!
THE PAY WHAT YOU CAN/FREE IF YOU NEED/PAY IT FORWARD MODEL
I strongly believe in making art and events which are as accessible as possible to anyone regardless of financial ability, background, or any other barrier that could come between artist and audience. Sometimes breaking down those walls can seem exhausting or impossible, but I will always stand strongly by my desire to keep trying! This means that I will find some way for a large portion of what I release to be either free or sold for donations so that anyone can get ahold of it.
Part of this process means that I expect those folks who enjoy my art to be okay with paying for something even though someone else doesn't have to pay for it. I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by a large network and audience of folks who strongly agree with me. If you do not agree with me, it's ok! I won't hold it against you! My art will still be available to you (if you enjoy it) and you can pay for it normally with your hard earned cash.
But for everyone else who decides to follow me on this pseudo marxist journey (to each according to need, from each according to ability) thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am not going to take the self important liberal artist viewpoint of "the world deserves my art and you make it happen", but I do enjoy doing what I do for a living, and bringing it to folks who can only afford to throw 25 cents in a bucket. Thank you for supporting me.
That said, if you look to the left you will see a list of reach-goals. The final reach goal is a grand. Should I ever reach that amount per month, I will be far past my needs financially, and want to be accountable and put my money where my mouth is. So should I read a grand a month, I will start taking %15 of my earnings and putting it towards charities and other artists projects/patreons/kickstarters/whatever. It would be weird to do otherwise, right?
*PS I will probably end up using some of the money to do that even before I make a grand a month.
*PSS it will probably end up being more than 15 percent, but, what are you going to do.
Thank you everyone!
current projects:
Little Demon On The Back Seat (rock album)
The Grey Closet Mystery School (webcomic)
How To Be a Loser in a Band (webcomic)
Weekly Webcast Performances (concert window)
BEFORE YOU TELL ME WHO GREG IS WHAT IS PATREON?
Patreon is a sort of newish service that is kind of like a kickstarter or indiegogo, but instead of trying to raise money for one big project, you are instead trying to get an audience of monthly subscription at lower prices at a more sustainable rate on both ends to support your craft. This is all under the ideal that you will produce a large amount of free content every month. (note: all or most content is still free regardless)
OK THAT'S COOL WHO ARE YOU?
www.gregorymckillop.com
Hi! My name is Gregory McKillop! You might know me as the founder of projects like Speaker For The Dead, PWYC Recording Studios, from running shows all over the country or just as a quiet little solo acoustic act. I have taken part in the recording and release of 20 albums of music, the construction of an 100 piece national queer folkpunk band, and I set up this Patreon page as a way to keep me doing the stuff that I do at a healthy pace! What do I do you might ask? Well I mostly tell stories. I enjoy finding different mediums to do that in (songs, albums, novellas, comics, poetry, etc). What do I write songs about? Queer Issues! Being in love! Protest Songs! Political Songs! Songs about being a Loser! Songs about how Racism and Sexism and Transphobia are terrible! Songs for Charity Compilation Albums! Songs to Cheer My Friends Up! Songs To Cheer My Friends On! etc etc etc.
But there are two main things I enjoy doing with my life:
1) Tell stories! Hooray!
2) Help other folks feel empowered to tell their stories! Hooray!
I think a huge part of being an artist includes helping other folks realize that they can be artists too if they want to be. I enjoy being a resource for people to ask me how to book shows, organize events for themselves and their community, as well as figure out how to go on their first tour without getting lost or sad or broke. Subscribing to my Patreon allows me to take that money and not only survive on it while making my art that I love to make, but it also allows me extra funds to go perform in communities that do not have enough money to pay me themselves.
Basically, despite all the "incentives" you get for subscribing, the point is really that I love to make songs and art and put it all out there for free. I am just asking folks with some extra cash to sort of pay it forward so that those without cash can still enjoy what I do. If that system doesn't work for you, that's ok! If it does, than hooray!
But I will mostly be using the money to : make art/pay rent/eat food/pay for gas to get to shows!
THE PAY WHAT YOU CAN/FREE IF YOU NEED/PAY IT FORWARD MODEL
I strongly believe in making art and events which are as accessible as possible to anyone regardless of financial ability, background, or any other barrier that could come between artist and audience. Sometimes breaking down those walls can seem exhausting or impossible, but I will always stand strongly by my desire to keep trying! This means that I will find some way for a large portion of what I release to be either free or sold for donations so that anyone can get ahold of it.
Part of this process means that I expect those folks who enjoy my art to be okay with paying for something even though someone else doesn't have to pay for it. I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by a large network and audience of folks who strongly agree with me. If you do not agree with me, it's ok! I won't hold it against you! My art will still be available to you (if you enjoy it) and you can pay for it normally with your hard earned cash.
But for everyone else who decides to follow me on this pseudo marxist journey (to each according to need, from each according to ability) thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am not going to take the self important liberal artist viewpoint of "the world deserves my art and you make it happen", but I do enjoy doing what I do for a living, and bringing it to folks who can only afford to throw 25 cents in a bucket. Thank you for supporting me.
That said, if you look to the left you will see a list of reach-goals. The final reach goal is a grand. Should I ever reach that amount per month, I will be far past my needs financially, and want to be accountable and put my money where my mouth is. So should I read a grand a month, I will start taking %15 of my earnings and putting it towards charities and other artists projects/patreons/kickstarters/whatever. It would be weird to do otherwise, right?
*PS I will probably end up using some of the money to do that even before I make a grand a month.
*PSS it will probably end up being more than 15 percent, but, what are you going to do.
Thank you everyone!