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moonbeam13 — Community Relations Newsletter: October
Published: 2008-10-23 15:43:23 +0000 UTC; Views: 4265; Favourites: 260; Downloads: 0
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Director of Community Relations :
Table of Contents
1. What is Community Relations
2. What are your Core Values?
3. What are the changes?
4. Are you bringing on new volunteers soon?
5. What is going on with miscats?
6. What about Fallenrox?
7. What took so long?
8. What next?
9. CONTEST!!!!
10. Official deviantART Contests
11. Important and Entertaining Links
12. News from the Galleries
1.What is Community Relations?
deviantART's Community Relations Team provides a unique collective effort that seeks to create and sustain collaborative relationships among deviants and to develop innovative opportunities within the global art industry. These relationships are meant to provide and encourage opportunities to foster creative genius. The CR Team acts as a window of information for the community on how to utilize deviantART in a way that will empower and enable themselves as respected and successful artists.
Our ultimate vision is a community of artists that come together unified and strengthened by sharing the belief that they hold the artistic power to create and shape their own success. In order to realize our vision, our mission must be to exceed the expectations of our community, whom we view as partners, and we will accomplish this by committing to our shared core values.
2. What are your Core Values?
C O M M U N I T Y
We believe that our community is our most important resource and we strive to act in ways that nurture and encourage its growth, development and ultimately its ongoing success. We err on the side of the artist.
R E S P E C T
We treat each other with respect, as we believe that every staff member, volunteer, and member is a contributing factor to deviantART's success. We acknowledge that even those that challenge our patience offer important lessons we can learn from and strive to do so.
E X C E L L E N C E
We share a passion for excellence, quality and creativity in everything we do and strive to instill these values in our community.
A R T I S T S
We are artists and we reserve time for creative expression. We recognize the importance of nurturing our inner artist, as not only beneficial to ourselves, but also integral to our connection with the community.
T R U S T
We build trust among ourselves and within the community by being true to our word. We speak honestly and with integrity and hold ourselves personally accountable to deliver on commitments we've made.
E M P O W E R
We believe in a commitment to continuous learning and improvement, and maintaining open, positive communication that encourages and fosters creative genius.
3.What are the changes?
First of all the department name has changed from Artist Relations to Community Relations. I think this name gives us more clarity and will serve to be more inclusive as opposed to a department focused only on artists. Secondly, Gallery Directors are now Gallery Moderators - again for the sake of clarity. In an internet world, moderator is a more widely recognized term, where gallery director has led to years of confusion. The rest of the changes are:
- Streamlining of the volunteer program to be more concise, offer more support, be more enjoyable and offer opportunities for ingenuity and creativity
- Development of a vision statement, a mission statement and our core values allows us to be consistent in our messaging and provides the entire team with a concrete direction
4.Are you bringing on new volunteers soon?
Yes, once the dust settles from this announcement, I will begin opening up the doors 
5. What is going on with miscats?
Effective last week, the Gallery Moderators have begun digging through the galleries. The images reported by you, the community, are being handled by the CEA and HD teams who are working through the backlog at record pace. The galleries are getting cleaner by the second! We're also still developing automated processes to make use of those of you in the community that are just so darn good!
6. What about Fallenrox?
Effective immediately, KariAnnLax is the new Manager of Film Development. This position allows Kari the freedom to develop the film gallery to the greatness I know it's going to be and I'm very excited to be working with her in this new capacity
Film is going places!
7. What took so long?
A great question but it was a sensitive project. There were over 80 people affected on the volunteer side (MN@ and Gallery Moderators) and ensuring that the changes I made were within their best interest and better than what they already had was my first priority. Yes, it took a lot longer than I planned but I would rather it take longer because I did it right, then rushed it along and upset a great many devoted people I cared about.
8. What's next?
Now, I bring on new volunteers to fill the gaps, sit down at my desk and start planning the projects and directions that will fill 2009. I have several things planned, including completing streamlining the galleries, a Gallery FAQ type project to better define all of the galleries and what content belongs there, restarting project educate etc. Please check out my forum about 2009 projects and let me know if there's something you want to see us do
There are many references to Gallery Directors and Artist Relations and certainly many support stamps (*coughneednewonescough*). These things will be updated over time, the logo is being redesigned as we speak
9. CONTEST
What's the point of change if there's no contest!
Objective
Present our Core Values (listed above) in a visual way. The Core Values should be written out and legible but how you do that is up to you
- we must be able to read the Core Values within your presentation
- must be submitted as a .jpg or .png
- must have a hi-res version available for print purposes (all print proceeds from this image will be given to the ArtistsForCharity account)
Submit your entries to Contests & Projects -> contests -> 2008 -> C.R.E.A.T.E Contest
Deadline for entries is November 30, 2008
Please note that if your image is chosen as the Grand Prize Winner, the image will become the property of deviantART Inc.
Prizes
Grand Prize - Image will become part of communityrelations and be our official visual representation of our core values, artist will receive a 1 (one) year subscription, 1 (one) deviantWEAR tshirt, and $200 deviantdollars.
Second Prize - 1 (one) deviantWEAR tshirt, 6 (six) month subscription and $50 deviantdollars
10. Official deviantART Contests
COMING SOON
Under the Big Top
11. Important and entertaining links you should go to
12. News from the Galleries
Related content
Comments: 130
all of the contest you have featured are closed now you know... sorry not trying to be rude just kinda sad to see none of them i can join couse there gone.
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are we going to see the winners for the contest?
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Exciting news!
I'm probably going to enter the contest, sounds like fun. 
But I have a question.... What exactly does high resolution mean? I have no idea, as I've never submitted anything for printing...
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I would like to gain experience by being a volunteer here
It'll give me the confidence and experience, now that I have AS, it'll give me a chance to mingle with other deviants if they need help
I know I'm not making sense at all 
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lets all try to boost community spirit too remember to visit your chosen galleries chat rooms and get to know other artists.
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"I would rather it take longer because I did it right, then rushed it along and upset a great many devoted people I cared about."
... Didn't you do that anyway?
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I'm sorry but not that i'm aware of.
If there's something you know that i don't then please share otherwise, the vague comments meant to (I'm assume) insult me, mean nothing.
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I'm so excited about all of this!
Thank you for the information and good luck.
You've my support all the way.
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Thank you for the updates! 
"When I was your age, the CR team was the AR team, and the GMs were Gallery Directors! 
I think the Film GM should still be a GD, though.
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Volunteer positions opening again?
And is that part of a map I see there hiding in the Film/$FallenRox announcement?
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All of this seems so exciting!
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I think it bests suits you and all the other volunteers because we ARE a community, after all !
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Ah, this is gonna serve some problems due to the fact I like to keep old names. Especially when teachers married.
Anyways, I decree the nickname for the GMs...Game Masters!
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People hate change, but usually artists are the first to venture forth into uncharted territory. I am a bit surprised to see some of the negative comments being made regarding the reorganization plans proposed or detailed here. To me, these changes seem logical, reasonable in light of the phenomenal growth and complexity this community of artists has developed, and refreshing. I remain very comfortable here, and most satisfied. Here's hoping the new directions and restructuring efforts foster easier use and less time required to navigate the positioning of our art into the dA stream.
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Awesome article danie!
Thank you for taking the time to pull this together and your constant dedication to Us volunteers
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You're calling for volunteers a month and a bit before my 18th birthday?
(but good update 
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Thanks for all the info here. I look forward to a new and improved art site that comes together as a community to help and support each other.
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despite the explanatory purpose of this article, i still don't see why a name change was needed, and why it happened in a way that diverts the focus on art in DeviantART. an explanation would be great.
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That's an interesting way to read it, there is no diversion from art, this is a community of artists primarily however, we do have art enthusiasts as part of our community and I see no reason why they aren't included. My department has always focused on education, collaboration and helping artists find paying positions, that won't change, we're just going to do it better. If there is more that I can explain to help you understand this change better, please let me know
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I am a little put out, and I am not going to sycophantically guffaw with adoration. I could hardly respect myself if I were to do so, and those that know me do know I do state my mind at times, and my statements are not always the popular position. I do stand to correction and I am willing to be reasonable in a reasoned discussion.
so...
I also did not know that galleries were living things in need of the hand holding and babysitting that 'moderator' by its functional description implies.
:/ dA has reworded your list of explanations/descriptions many times over the years, and this years rewordings are not... something. Certainly being called simply a citizen with no explicit title I have to express my feeling that I am demeaned as an Artist. Community is what I am a part of for sure and I have supported that for many years here on dA, off dA on other websites and forums, and in real life as well; Artist is my place in this Community. I am not a dog walker, or a floor buffer, or a waiter. Let those people that are have their own community, and let me have my Artist's community here. Or are you, as your words imply "Community Relations has been opened up to encompass all of the community instead of just a hyper focus on just the artists.," instead saying it is no longer in truth deviantART but deviantALLWALKSOFLIFECOMEJOIN because frankly I feel myspace and facebook have had their days already.
deviantART dot com should be the dominion of the Artist
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Just because they are focusing on community development doesn't mean that the art suddenly means less, you realize. The art is still just as important now as it was before. This is a community focused around art, therefore in focusing on keeping the community as just that, it will remain about art. If the community at large hates one another, then the focus on the art will be lost, whereas if the team focuses on keeping the community together and marginally happy, then the art will come naturally.
Your being an artist does not (ergo, SHOULD not) mean anything less simply because they've gone and changed the goals on how to keep the community running smoothly. If anything, it should benefit you as an artist. Starting on the list of values that Danie's posted, there is Community. Would you want to be here if the community was bad? I know I wouldn't. Therefore, that does need to come first. Second is respect, the fact that you can publicly voice your opinion on things. I disagree with you, yes, but I respect your right to be in disagreement. The third is excellence. I think this one's located rather importantly myself. The art is the main core of the site, yes. However, if one does not have respect for the art, then can one really excel? If everyone posted their art and there was no respect among members, then there wouldn't be any recognition of the excellence of each artist's work.
The thing about "being opened up to encompass all of the community" means just that. A lot of the time, people are intimidated by the professional artists on the site, and therefore feel excluded. This notion will help to relate everyone, not just those artists who are already good at what they do. The site (in my eyes) is about the progress that the individual can make. As stated on `adonihs 's Deviousness Award, "One of the most fascinating things one can do on this site is watch the journey of an artist as they progress and refine their craft through nothing more than sheer hard work and perseverance". It's not just about being an artist, but about making improvement over time, and therefore, to leave out those who are at a less impressive starting point than others is counter-intuitive.
deviantART dot com still is the dominion of the Artist, it is just the dominion of the artist in all stages, not just perfection.
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Scratch that previous comment, I get it now. XD
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I'm afraid I have no idea what that means. XD;
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I'm so glad to finally have a clue what's going on, and I'm excited to see the way the changes will impact the community.
And THANK FREAKIN' GOD the Hat Squad (formerly known as the AR team) is back on miscats. I almost lost my mind browsing the last couple months.
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i just realized the very obscure reference in my second book will no longer be applicable as my title has changed from GD
But now people will stop calling us god damns!! lol
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But now people will stop calling us god damns!!
They have? Dang it!
But GM for me is also Game Masters... 
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Dang it...however I would go for Game Masters anyday!
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I think I might be ready to apply to volunteer.... I held back before because I wasn't sure if I could live up to time constraints
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it sounds great, and I'd like to volunteer if theres anything I could do to help
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