1. Call to Order
Chair, Benjamin Domask-Ruh, called the meeting to order at: 6:03 pm Eastern
2. Roll:
Present: Afton Benson, MIke Sullivan, Martin Frost, Jonathan Perry, Sofia Noethe, Benjamin Domask-Ruh, Noel Yee, Eric Shibuya, Aslynne Howes, Jess
Absent: Niels, Luther
Recorder: Aslynne
3. Approval of Agenda
Motion: Jonathan
Second by: Noel
Discussion:
Vote: Approved unanimously
Jake Darrow joined at 6:06 PM ET
4. Approval of Minutes:
Business Board Meeting (LINK)
Motion: Aslynne
Second: Sofia
Discussion:
Vote: Approved unanimously
5. Reports
Please keep verbal reports to 5 min or less except for festival discussion.
2025 Festival Update (Jess)
- Site Visit Dec 17-19
- Afton, Andreanne, Jonah (co booking shows with Noel), Jess
- Convention center, theater, hotels, more places set up to visit
- Intent to lock down:
- Theater details and personnel contacts
- Joggling track
- Library or children’s museum for YJA
- Checking spaces at convention center for smaller special shows
- Update on registar – Shivella passing, intent to set up meeting with Sofia and Noel for backend site set up (Shivella taught them last year)
- Vendors in progress, getting site map and to get familiar
- Show meetings in progress – 4 down, reaching out to acts. Securing stage managers for shows- have a tentative 2 out of 3 people who are interested
- 2nd graphics meeting next week with Cassaundra – intent to have social images ASAP with t shirt design to follow
- Afton – social media update after meeting with Lisa and Kenzey
Discussion:
- Club YJA workshop room.
- Afton: connecting Lisa and Kenzey and Cassaundra with Jess and they will set up a marketing calendar for the year. Might need to fly into Nashville or Lowville and drive to Evansville from there due to flight cost increase. Flights are better in the summer. Hopefully theatre aspects will be available on the 18th.
- Noel: looking for additional act ideas
- Benjamin: Kayla Malmgren will be leading the daily youth meetup, hoping to have a workshop room from 10-12pm available every day
- Jonathan: if we want to order disc golf discs, it should start soon.
- Jess: let’s get this started then.
Financial Report (Afton Benson)
Discussion:
- Paypal got locked down with Dennis, but back in again now. We weren’t all locked out, just Dennis. Should have a profit this year.
- Question on update about donated stocks?
- Plans to send in the early new year
- Jack Denger ready to help set up Fidelity small business investment account where donor can transfer stock properly
- 2024 Festival numbers should be available about December
Future Festival Site Report (Mike and Jake)
Discussion:
We are continuing talks with South Bend, regarding the possible 2028 festival. We received updated quotes/details from the Century Center & Morris Theater about labor rates and other clarifying questions. Mike forwarded this onto the Board, and we are continuing these discussions.
I posted this to the last meeting agenda ”I reached out to the University of MN as a prospective location for the 2029 Festival. This is in the very early stages. Afton initially contacted them, and I am taking over.” Nothing has changed, I have not received a response, I know Afton had difficulties getting responses as well. I was going to wait a month ( This coming Tuesday) before trying again. I’m trying not to pester, as these dates are so far out (2029).
Hoping to have more solid contracts for 2028 by the next board meeting.
eJuggle Report (Eric Shibuya)
Discussion: Hello, this is Eric Shibuya, incoming editor in chief for ejuggle. I am flying out tomorrow for a business trip to the Netherlands but I hope to be on the call tonight. Whether I am on or not, here is my initial note to the Board.
I am humbled to take on this new challenge and am excited for the next era for the IJA’s online magazine. The appointment did come somewhat suddenly, so myself and the team are still in our storming stages.
For the next two months, I do not intend to make any major changes. I plan to honor the previous agreements for David Cain and Esteban through 2024.
For 2025, I would like to have the IJA run a contest for the renaming of Ejuggle (prize being perhaps a gift certificate for our Teespring). In late 2024, after discussion with the incoming team, we will publish a new vision for the new online magazine. I’m hoping for more writers, more BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writing, more fest recaps, more product reviews. I’d like to get out of the box and publish some juggling fiction and poetry, even. That’s just some early thoughts. I’ve written a draft of this vision that I’ve sent to my known team members for their feedback. I will present that to the Board for their approval before I publish.
I am considering moving to a less frequent publication schedule. Weekly pubs do not feel to me like a “magazine”, but this is right now in the brainstorming stage.
I do need to get a handle on the budget (David and Esteban told me what they are getting paid, but I don’t know what funding I do have). I do want to compensate our contributors fairly, and perhaps eventually offer some compensation to my team.
I hope to talk with you all tonight but I will say again I am honored in the trust the Board has put in myself and the incoming team. We will do our best not to let you all down.
Discussion:
- Would like to have a way to track engagement (likes, clicks, etc.) rossberenson@gmail.com
- Note: Jorge (Tricks of the Month) Reached out to Benjamin about updated compensation.
- Martin: No reason we need to rename eJuggle, but if the new editor wants it changed, that’s fine. eJuggle is well-known as a title.
- Eric: The winner will likely be chosen by the editing team/the board
- Martin: The previous juggling magazine name was owned by someone else, which is why the name changed in the past. The IJA owns the name eJuggle so we do not need to change.
Membership (Marilyn Sullivan)
Membership Data
Discussion:
- 10 more members this month!
Marketing Report (Matan Presberg)
Discussion:
IRC Report (Erin Stephens)
Discussion:
- Making Policies and Rules for international events (future vision meeting)
- Afton: Would prefer to work with Marketing and Live Stream on donation as opposed to an annual fundraiser
YJA Report (Benjamin Domask-Ruh)
Discussion:
- Benjamin is currently on a directing project and then will refocus that energy into Juggling Education book project.
- Need to update YJA Website with requested info from Ian on Badge Book, Open Source Badge Program, and Curriculum (As a special member perk!)
- Met with Jake Darrow to begin a ‘How to start/run a juggling club’ resource
- Sent Ian a list of updates for the YJA website
- Kayla is in for Club YJA again
- Have you thought about reaching out to regional festivals and connecting them to our annual festivals?
- Yes, thinking about having it as a resource available on how to host YJA meet-up type things
OpsO Report (Ross Berenson)
Discussion:
Status check-ins:
- eJuggle Editor transition – Complete.
- Marketing onboarding status? Complete
- Festival Director Call for 2026 / 2027 will be in the November Newsletter.
6. Motions for Consideration
- Motion to approve to hold the IRC Centroamérica 2025 at the Teguz Jugglers Fest in Honduras on June 6, 2025. Proposal
Budget:
Author: Erin Stephens
Motion: Aslynne
Second: Sofia
Discussion:
Erin’s Notes:
Honduras hosted their first IRC last year, and it was a success. It had many challenges along the way due to the cultural dynamics of the juggling community of Honduras, but in the end, ended up being an amazing tool for uniting the jugglers. Honduras gives incredible financial support to the circus arts, and the Teguz Jugglers Festival has already been approved for a $20,000 grant to organize their 2nd annual event. I think the IRC returning to Honduras for a second consecutive year will be very helpful in continuing the growing inspiration within the county. Being centrally located in Central America, also makes it easier for jugglers of other countries to travel to Honduras to compete as well. Last year I trained Miguel Hernandez to be the official IJA Representative for the IRC, and he has agreed to be the organizer of the IRC in 2025. His travel expenses will be from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa.
- Travel is only $200? Is that accurate?
- Any way to postpone voting and give board more time to read proposal (only posted earlier today and not enough time to make an educated decision)
- Is the $20,000 for the event or the IRC. How much is allocated to IRC?
- Covering prize money and travel?
- Board didn’t have time to read.
Aslynne makes a motion to table this motion.
Sofia seconds.
Discussion: none
Vote: Approved unanimously
Vote: N/A
Motion tabled.
7. Varia:
8. Confirm Next Meeting
Next meetings will take place on…
December 2nd, 2024 at 6PM ET for the next vision meeting
December 16th, 2024 at 6PM ET for the next business meeting
9. Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 7:20 pm Eastern.