The Save Ideas Tap Campaign Builds Steam
by Startacus Admin
A couple of weeks ago, we were very sad to hear the news that IdeasTap is due to close on June 2nd and we’re sure you were too. To say it is the end of an era is certainly an understatement and it is definitely a loss that will be felt by young creatives and entrepreneurs everywhere.
Not familiar with IdeasTap? Well, back in 2008, Chairman Peter Dehan, wanted to set up a charity which could help young people who were interested in creative industries kick-start their careers, and so IdeasTap was born. The charity has been able to help in a number of ways, including assistance with funding, finding a job or practical advice.
Over the following 6 years, the charity grew immensely and presently has over 200,000 members. In that time, they have given away more than $2.3 million worth of funding and mentoring as well as helping their members find countless job and project opportunities.
Despite the charity’s success, IdeasTap have been unable to secure government funding or support. They have explored other avenues, including onsite advertising and corporate sponsorship and despite some success, there hasn’t been enough to support IdeasTap in the long term. As a result, they will unfortunately have to close their doors later this year.
This is a great loss to the creative industries, and it is clear that IdeasTap have helped their members immensely over their 6 year tenure. If you’re as disappointed as we are to hear the news of their closure, now may be the time to step up and give a little back to the charity.
Over the last few days there has been an immeasurable effort to keep the charity alive, and it is evident that the campaign to save IdeasTap is quickly building steam. Not only are there petitions circling the web (some of which you can find one of them here), but you can also visit the campaign’s website to find out how you can help. While there, you can also enter your details and register as a member. That way you will be kept in the loop and it will be easier for you to take action and help out.
Campaign leaders have spoken to the folks over at IdeasTap and have been able to keep members up to date with planned actions over the next couple of weeks. How do they plan exactly? Efforts will include maximising both member and public support through their mailing list, via Facebook and Twitter and then by encouraging individual actions. 
The hope is that avenues previously explored by IdeasTap can become viable if enough support is given by members and the public. They also want to ensure that at least three mainstream articles are published in the next couple of weeks in order to raise awareness.
Ultimately, the aim is to receive as much mainstream media coverage as possible as well as individual actions from members, and this is where you come in! If you are organising an event to help IdeasTap, are writing an article, have started or a petition or crowdfunding page, let the campaign leaders know by visiting their website!
Of course, funding cuts to the arts isn’t entirely a new thing - for example, back in December we discussed how the Arts Council of NI were facing £1 million worth of cuts. This was very upsetting news for us as they were a keen supporter of ours when we first started developing Startacus.
Efforts to stop these cuts from happening gave rise to the #13pForTheArts campaign as the Government invests just 13p per head of the NI population directly into funding the arts. The campaign however proved just how much can be done if all those who are passionate about the arts come together with a unified voice.
The same sentiments exist with the Save Ideas Tap campaign - so if they’ve helped you with your creative venture, now is the time to step up and help them! Together we can ensure that IdeasTap are able to keep on doing what they’ve been doing so well for so long.
Don’t forget to join the campaign’s Facebook page so that you can be kept updated with what is going on. You can follow them on twitter, too. Just be sure to use #SaveIdeasTap so that you can help spread the word!
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Published on: 26th March 2015
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