Volunteer Opportunities “The miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have” - Leonard Nimoy The mission of Silk Painters International (SPIN) is to support and encourage the professional development of silk artists, as well as to promote worldwide appreciation and recognition of silk art. Our organization has grown to nearly 475 members since the beginning of this year and since 1997, we have been able to continuously accomplish this with the help of volunteers. An organization like ours cannot exist without the commitment of volunteers to fulfill our mission. We have been host to biennial festivals since 1998. We have published a quarterly magazine/newsletter. We have provided members with opportunities for learning and networking. All that we have accomplished would not have been possible without our dedicated volunteers, who have committed both their time and talents to help us achieve our goals. Joyce Estes, our president, reminds us that “what we need now is more talent to continue to fulfill our mission. I love seeing a mission accomplished and the harder the mission, the better, but it takes people who want to accomplish the same goal. As president, the tasks don’t fall to just me. We need to act as a group, sharing the goals and accomplishments of the entire organization. It takes a team with everyone knowing what their job is and doing it. The president is the captain of the ship; without the sailors and crew they would go nowhere. We’ve come a long way with our current SPIN team who has done a masterful job in setting goals and doing their jobs. We now need more people stepping up to continue meeting our goal of promoting silk art to the world.” Kaki Steward, vice president of the board and coordinator of the 2014 Festival, said, “I volunteer for SPIN because the more I give of my energy, ideas and talents the more enriched I am by others.” Those who currently volunteer find satisfaction in networking with their art colleagues and being part of a professional organization that has a real purpose. As our membership chairperson Gloria Lanza-Bajo said, “I have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I am giving back for all the gifts they I’ve personally received in my life.”
Positions available this year: Webmaster The vital role of any webmaster is to keep the website running seamlessly, ensuring that the content on the site is understandable and easy to access. Because the new website operates on a “what you see is what you get” program, minimal technical skills are required. You don’t need to know html. We currently have a group of volunteers who collaboratively work on the website when necessary. What we need is someone who will oversee the entire collection of websites – the main site, the magazine site and the festival site. This person will work with other volunteers to be sure the website is performing at its peak. Experience with website development is good, but not required. Training can be offered. Good technical thinking skills, along with artistic layout and design skills, are a plus. Marketing/Public Relations Experience in marketing and public relations is needed, to promote Silk Painters International to our various publics. We need someone to create a marketing and public relations strategy for our growth over the next five years. Financial Director We are looking for someone who has familiarity with budgets and planning in order to manage the fiscal growth of the organization. Basic accounting skills are required. Experience with Excel or another spreadsheet program is a plus. Writers for the Silkworm If you would like to explore your writing skills, please contact the editor. We are always looking for good writers, so don’t worry if you don’t have a topic at first. We have topics and will assign according to your interests. Silkworm Website Editor We would like to develop the Silkworm website. Right now, it is a great repository for stories from the magazine. However, we would like to further develop our online presence. If you have a vision for what the Silkworm website can be, we need you. You would work in tandem with the print editor. Silkworm Ad Sales and Marketing Do you have publishing experience? This person will work with the editor to formulate a marketing plan for just the magazine. This position can be combined with the Marketing/Public Relations position or it can fly solo. If you have any ideas and know how to develop a marketing strategy, contact the editor.
Silkworm Circulation Do you have experience with getting periodicals out to the public – newsstands, bookstores, direct marketing, etc.? We need someone to find locations to sell the magazine (universities, libraries, craft stores, etc.). It is possible for this position to be combined with the Silkworm ad and marketing position. Board Members Do you have an interest in serving on our board for a term of four years? Any of the above skills is an asset to being a board member. Proofreaders We are looking for people to proofread our newsletters and the Silkworm. For any more information, contact one of current proofreaders, Luz Salazar or Phyllis Gordon. Copyeditor We are looking for a professional copyeditor, with previous experience, for the Silkworm. This position consists of editing and shaping articles for conciseness and clarity to get them ready for publishing. This will be a paid position based on each published issue. Writers The Silkworm is seeking entry-level freelance writers who would like to be published. This position is available to any writer and being a SPIN member is not required. Mailing List Manager We need someone who can prepare manage our mailing list. This position will be supervised by our membership coordinator. We would prefer to fill this position with someone who is already affiliated our membership coordinator.
If you are interested in helping SPIN grow, please contact Joyce Estes at enjoycesilks@gmail.com If you are interested in Silkworm positions, please contact Tunizia at editor@silkpainters.org