...in a gallery

An artist has turned to a crowdfunding website to held finance a new photo exhibition – featuring only people who work in comedy clubs.

Jessica McDermott is planning to showcase her work at the Glasgow comedy festival in March, with an exhibition titled You Must Love Working Here.

It was inspired by the five years she spent working at the Stand Comedy Club in the city while studying at the Glasgow School of Art. In that time, she reckons she heard the venue’s intro music, Jackie Wilson’s Reet Petite, around 9,900 times.

She said: ‘The title is based on something I’d get asked – or told – an awful lot.

‘I’ve been taking portraits of people who work in comedy venues, whether that’s a comedy club all year round like The Stand, or place that has comedy a few nights...

‘We tried to find out how the subjects feel about working in a comedy club, and then try to get them to project that feeling so that we could capture it visually.

‘People who work in comedy clubs on the whole tend to be quite funny as well, quite witty. I don’t think many people could get up and do it, though, as it’s a whole different skill.’

She is hoping to raise £500 through Scottish crowdfunding website Bloom VC, with rewards for those contributing larger amounts including a personalised comedy show from McDermott's stand-up friends and a one-on-one portrait session.  

Here is an item about her project that aired on BBC Radio Scotland’s Comedy Cafe:

Meanwhile, comic Boothby Graffoe has smashed his crowdfunding target of £1,000 to fund his next album.

He was seeking £1,000 to finance the recording of Nomad, a CD to accompany his his forthcoming UK tour, Nomad. No Sane Either.

And with nearly two weeks to go, 173 backers on Kickstarter have pledged more than £3,000. Those contributing £10 got a copy of the new album.

Published: 29 Jan 2013