co-op darkrooms?

[severian]

I once belonged to a co op gallery in Indianapolis. About 20 artists running the entire operation.New members were chosen by a vote. Seems to me that this might be a good idea for darkroom space. A co-op darkroom. It could be tied in with a gallery exhibition area. Is there anything like this out there?
Jack

 

[MattKing]

BWKate, who is a subscriber here, runs something like this in Victoria, BC Canada. You might try contacting her for information.

Matt

 

[raucousimages]

I only knew of one, it was a disaster. Users felt it was totaly communal including film and paper in private lockers and one night when I was working someone came in to work using a copy of the key. This guy had put in no cash, work or gear. When we lost the lease on the building one guy put everything he wanted in his darkroom and gave the rest (fridge, cabinets,counters Etc...) to other tenants. He never had time to let anyone in the new (his) darkroom.

It can work just do the following:

Control access, issue DO NOT DUPLICATE marked keys
Respect private property. Don't use others supplys.
Do dues paid, no access.
No friends, or friends of friends.
If someone leaves the Co-Op they can take their gear and only their gear with them.

 

[BWKate]

I just found this thread and my name was even mentioned. Thanks Matt!

Yes, I do help run a cooperative darkroom that sounds very similar but still we have a couple differences.

It's called Crossgrain Photographic Society and it's a non profit society. It is located within an artist run center called Xchanges Artists Studios and Gallery. Everyone has to join Xchanges ($30.00 per year plus key deposit) in order to get your key. All members also volunteer to help run Xchanges by donating at least 4 hours a month.

So yes everyone has a key but they have to reserve a time slot or just show up. If no one is in the darkroom then they can go ahead. I like to reserve time as a guarantee that I will be able to get some printing done. You can also print as long as you want as it's 24 hour access. We only have about 13 members so it's not always booked. I make sure that I give any new members a thorough orientation as to what the rules are.

We have semi regular meetings to discuss any problems or concerns. The darkroom usage is tracked and you have to sign a sheet saying when you went into the darkroom and when you left. There is also a space on the sheet to note any problems or if we need anything as I buy all the chemicals.

We have lockers to keep your personal paper and stuff in. I store my enlarger there and no one has ever dared touch it on pain of death from me!!!!!

I am the one who signs people up to join so I try to be very specific about how our coop is run.

You can have friends in the darkroom with you. Never had a problem with that.

Everyone pays in either 1 year or 6 month time periods so we all pay at essentially the same time. When new people join I just prorate it until the next 6 month time period.

If someone leaves and doesn't return their key I email them and phone them. Every couple years we get the locks changed and start all over again. All the keys are numbered as well.

If someone was using the darkroom without paying their fees I would eventually either see them in the darkroom or repeatedly phone them and remind them about their fees. No one has ever not paid after I have talked with them. All the members I have had have been quite honourable. What happens alot is someone signs up and is all gung ho and then realizes it takes work to print well and then 6 months later their interest fades and then I get their key back.

So it can work but like raucousimages said you have to control access which is what I do.