Click Here To Donate!
Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center • http://www.ucimc.org • 218 W. Main St • Urbana, IL 61801
Help us buy a permanent home for Urbana Indymedia!
Indymedia is a global network of collectively-run media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth. We are motivated by a love and inspiration for people who work for a better world despite corporate media's distortions and unwillingness to cover efforts to develop an egalitarian and sustainable society.
The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (IMC) is a grassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice in the Urbana-Champaign area. We are dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream media neglects and we do not conceal our politics behind a false objectivity. We will empower people to "become the media" by providing democratic access to available technologies and information.
The IMC's contributions to the international Indymedia movement are central to its dedication in fostering a broadly democratic community utilizing media production and dissemination. In Urbana, our downtown storefront at 218 West Main St. has become a vital community center with an intentionally broad definition of 'media' including music, art, performance, workshops and discussions, as well as more traditional media like print, audio, and video to reach and build a wider community of involvement. Indeed, the prominent storefront community space, open seven days per week, and the wide range of activities we sponsor makes the IMC unique in the Indymedia movement.
On May 8, 2003, the IMC performance space was shut down by Urbana city officials for as yet unenumerated building and fire code violations. After a frustrating initial communications breakdown, the IMC is now engaged in productive dialog with the City on how we can understand and resolve the issues. The IMC is committed to ensuring the safety of our patrons and visitors and that our large pool of volunteers will work together to do what needs to be done to take care of code issues that we are now being made aware of.
The IMC's performance venue is a vital part of the downtown Urbana economic ecology. The IMC brings hundreds of people each week into downtown Urbana to produce media, view art, meet with other community members, and to hear a wide range of diverse music. The IMC's performance area has been host to many nationally touring bands, as well as many local acts. Being the only strictly all-ages venue in town, the IMC enables many of people who would otherwise not be able to see bands perform to enjoy musical performances of all kinds. The IMC serves as a meeting place for various political and social organizations, and provides technical equiptment for audio and video production. Owning our own building rather than renting would allow many things to happen. The IMC currently brings hundreds of people to the downtown area, which results in an increase of traffic to other downtown businesses.
In light of the performance space closure, the IMC felt that its best course of action would be for the performance area to remain closed, while we focused on our Capital Campaign to purchase a permanent location for the IMC. We are currently one third of the way towards our final goal of raising a minimum of $100,000. We hope to acquire a building that meets all present needs of the IMC, offers significant space for expansion, and which may offer space for other community groups to co-locate. All contributions designated for the Capital Campaign are reserved for the purpose of purchasing a permanent home for the IMC, along with providing a reasonable amount of funding for anticipated and unanticipated expenses of our first two years owning the building. These expenses may include modifications and updates needed to convert the building into a functioning IMC, along with administrative costs directly related to purchasing the building. One percent of campaign funds may be used for administrative costs of the campaign itself.
If you would like to make a donation, would like to meet with a member of the team to learn more about donation levels and needs, know of someone who might be interested in donating, or want to get involved in the IMC Capital Campaign, please send an email to capital@ucimc.org or call Sascha Meinrath at (217) 344-8820. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and your tax status.
Donations should be sent to:
Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
ATTN: Treasurer/Capital Campaign
218 W Main St, Suite 110
Urbana, IL 61801-2725
Please make checks out to "UCIMC" and put "Capital Campaign" in the memo. Thanks for supporting Indymedia!