failure and risk with machine project (2)

OH NOES!

A MACHINE FOR MAKING CULTURE

Some recent failures

NEA panel said what we did “wasn’t

art”

LA grant maker rejected our proposal because

“too innovative to scale”

We thought locking kids into the trunks of cars was a good idea

New York residency cancelled because the

owners sold the building

We organized a fundraising event around fondue on the hottest day

of the year

Public performance series cancelled midway because

of “questionable artistic quality”

We tried to open a drive through DIY frying restaurant

Museum residency concluded early

because they’d “had enough”

We heavily promoted an event where the

performers ended up outnumbering the people

that showed up

We convinced a museum to produce a limited

edition print for our show. They sold 3 out of 100.

We opened a performance which drove around Los Angeles on same day as flaming tanker explosion closed down the

freeway exchange.

ENJOYABLE

AWKWARD

FAMILIAR NEW

ENJOYABLE

AWKWARD

FAMILIAR NEW

EXCITING!

NICE

TIREDVEXING

Different kinds of organizations

Different kinds of risk

Constraint equals opportunity

Build a framework and iterate inside it

It’s good to be human

Failure is subjective

Activity!

machineproject.com