Today we launch the first of what will be an annual Awesome Black event: The AB Club Drive. 

What is the AB Club Drive? It’s basically Awesome Black putting all our energy, creativity, and a little dab of Deadly into convincing YOU to join AB Club (our social giving platform for First Nations creators). It’s the best time to subscribe and pledge to support Awesome Black, the podcasts we produce and the creators we represent.. 

For two weeks every year we’ll be running the drive and putting extra effort into encouraging people to sign up to the AB Club. We’ve created this platform to exclusively support Indigenous creators and Awesome Black, a 100% First Nations business.  AB Club operates just like Patreon, except all the proceeds go to First Nations creators and supporting a First Nations charity. That means that for every dollar of AB Club membership fees, 80 cents goes directly to the creators and shows you’ve chosen to support and 20 cents goes into running Awesome Black. 

The 80% that goes to creators can be used by them any way they like but lots of them put it towards; recording equipment, upskilling, new creative work, paying producers & editors to help them with their shows, research, housing and just living their life. 

The 20% that goes to Awesome Black is used to pay upkeep, staff wages, equipment, rent on the office space we hope to get soon, technology, special events, workshops and developing new creators. It’s our way of ensuring that we can keep running this organisation which hopes to create a sustainable future for First Nations creators. It’s a business model that we’re really proud of, putting people and creativity over profits. 

The reason we ask for monthly memberships is that this allows creators a steady monthly income, it allows shows to maintain a regular release schedule and it makes the creative life feel a bit more ‘normal’. It helps creators maintain independence, they don’t have to make content for corporate spaces just to survive, they can make the content that they and you love. It’s also a more sustainable way to financially support a cause that’s meaningful to you. Instead of asking for a large once-off donation, the AB Club subscription allows you to make small, regular contributions each month.

While we’re essentially asking you to pay for content that’s being put out, by Awesome Black and our Creators, for free we do give a little back as a thank you. As an AB Club Member you get access to extra content that lives behind the paywall on the Awesome Black websites. All AB Creators contribute to this collection of exclusive content and it’s yours to enjoy while you’re a member. 

During the two weeks of the drive (27 March – 6 April) we’ll be giving a special AB Club Drive gift to anyone who joins at the $10 level, or higher. Plus you get some pretty sweet ‘Welcome to the Club’ gifts when you sign up. 

Awesome Black is a Registered Charity under the ACNC so all AB Club subscriptions are donations that are tax deductible.