For those of you who haven’t met Lara, she is one of the co-directors of the Chicago Time Exchange. She is wrapping up a LinkUp artist residency at Links Hall which is one of the CTX’s organizational partners.

This weekend, March 28th-30th, please come see her performance called “The Space in Between Us,” which is an intelligent and creative look into artist practice, storytelling, community, and social practice.

“Storytelling, lecture, balloons, and a golden ball traverse the territory of pleasure and fear between the kitchen and pond, frog and princess, utopia and apocalypse. Created and performed by Lara Oppenheimer, Marie Casimir, Jessica Marasa and Lindsay Hopkins, “The Space Between Us” explores intimacy, economy and ecology through the lens of a fairy tale and the question of how we name home.

Lara’s LinkUp residency is an investigation into the ways an alternative economy can support artistic work and vice versa. Throughout the residency, members of the community were invited to share skills and offer artistic support, being paid in time credits through the Chicago Time Exchange. http://www.chicagotimeexchange.com”

CTX members can pay for the performance in Time Dollars by logging into the Chicago Time Exchange website and clicking here (offers tab).

Learn more and RSVP for the performance HERE.

Post by guest blogger and CTX member Maggie M.

When I first heard of CTX I felt incredible gratitude. Who knew that this radical, generous, open-minded tribe was organized in Chicago and available to me! Inspired by the prospect of soulfully expanding my community whilst decreasing my dependence on capitalism, I jumped in and signed up for an account.

However, my initial enthusiasm for CTX got swallowed up by my very busy life, and though I’d signed up with lofty intentions, I did nothing with the account.  I did nothing for so long that when I went to log in the other day I couldn’t recall my password.  Yikes.  I felt as if I’d spent a fortune on shoes I never wore, RSVP’d yes to an event and didn’t go, and begged for a toy I never played with.  But after I got over my embarrassment I realized that I hadn’t hopped on CTX in a while because I doubted I would have something someone wanted, or that I could actually get needs met by a group of strangers.  Lucky for me, I was about to have my mind blown.

I logged on and had tons of Time Dollars to exchange.  I’d been accruing them for doing things that, frankly, I wanted to do anyway, like talking to friends about their stunning, juicy art and setting up for parties and events where I had a blast.  But I never really thought I would use the Time Dollars….until I saw the offer for tickets to “The Space Between Us”–a clever, playful and complex show playing at Links Hall March 28, 29 and 30.  I was stoked and “bought” myself a ticket!  And since I was so Time Rich I got tickets for my friends!  I love that Time Dollars empower me to be generous.  I wanted to snatch up all the tickets because I know the people making it and it’s going to be great, but in my newfound generosity I refrained:  I left tickets for you so you can come out and meet me there!  Get on it!

Now, of course it felt great to “buy” tickets and receive from the CTX, but what could I possibly offer?  I’d earned Time Dollars for collaborating with a friend who was already on CTX, but I didn’t think I’d have anything to offer a total stranger.  I assumed that everything folk needed would be out of my realm of helpability….until I read one, wonderful little word—Kombucha!  Kombucha is a scrumptious, fortifying, mystical, miracle beverage made of fermented sweet tea, and it is one of my very favorite things to talk about, make and drink.  Someone on CTX was requesting help with this seemingly obscure thing of which I have an abundance of supplies, knowledge and enthusiasm!  Wow—this CTX thing is making sense to me now.

Even if you haven’t been active on here in a while, or if you are new to CTX, I urge you to check out the offers and requests of our community!  Folks are asking for all sorts of intriguing things like clothing alterations, help with writing, conversations in Spanish and musical accompaniment.  Folks are also offering wild stuff—theater tickets, book-keeping, music lessons, energy work.  I am so totally impressed with this community and am thrilled that I jumped back in!

Thanks for your patience with me, CTX!  My next adventure is to post an offer and make a request.  Maybe you will do the same?  Asking and offering are simple acts with infinite potential.  Check back soon and I’ll let you know what miracles and alchemy my adventures bring.  Maybe it will be you!