Episode 49: Jim Bilodeau

Meet Jim Bilodeau, a NAIT instructor with a passion to help artists make money online, and the man behind The Museum Project, an interesting idea to help make that happen. Jim was one of the people who came in for an interview on 100 in 1 Day back in June, when I took over a studio at the Edmonton Public Library's Makerspace to talk to Edmontonians about what they are making. Unlike most of my interviewees, Jim doesn't write a blog or make a podcast or have a YouTube channel. But he wants to help those who do. "I want every individual artist to be in charge of their own career," he says. "If you have talent, you can make money at your art now." He has an idea that he hopes will kill two birds with one stone: Incubate online artistic ventures by providing a production facility, and save the old Royal Alberta Museum building in Glenora in the process. The new downtown museum opens in 2017, but it will take until 2019 to empty. After that, anything could happen to the building, including tearing it down. Jim doesn't want that to happen, and you'll hear more about his idea in this interview. This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Jim recommended a couple of Alberta artists who are making a go of it on Twitch TV: Body painter Kay Pike Fashion Artist Fady Lace You can follow The Museum Project on Facebook and on Twitter (@yegmuseum). Learn more about Your Entertainment Guild (YEG Society) at yegsociety.ca. You can also see some other ideas for uses of the old RAM on this petition to save the building. This episode of Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven stories about the city, cultivated by the community. Learn more about the project in my chat with co-founder Mack Male. And watch taprootedmonton.ca for our first story, coming soon.  Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.