Update 1/21/13: Ben has printed a variant of his NYE print, modified with a new color scheme, printed on Epson Enhanced Matte Paper, with good weight, smooth surface and sharp detail, and printed with Epson archival inks. This print is in a limited edition of 35 and signed and numbered by the artist. You can pick the print up here.
For his latest and final piece of Phish phanart, Ben Whitesell went big. His New Year’s Eve poster is a steampunk representation of Trey’s Languedoc guitar and it’s nearly life-size. The Print measures 15.5″ x 40″. He is only printing 20 of these posters and selling them for $30 + s&h. Each poster is signed and numbered by Ben.
Sleeping Monkey NYC
Above is a preview of the Art poster LMP is releasing in conjunction with the Phish New Years concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The poster is the last in a series of “train” themed posters that Michael Ortiz and Jonathan Lamb of Like Minded Productions. This limited edition series is numbered out of 40 and are giclee prints done on 210 gram Textured fine art paper, measuring 17″ x 22″. Each print is signed and numbered by Michael Ortiz. Prints are available at $30 + $10 for shipping. (When you click “Add to Cart” you can go to “checkout” to complete your order.)
We posted this each year as a heads up to Phish fans who might be selling posters, shirts, stickers, pins or other items outside of MSG. Read on for a true life story from the NYE 2010 run and avoid getting arrested this New Years Run!
Woke Up This Morning…
NYC Tax Evasion
One Way To Avoid Jail If You Plan On Vending This NYE run
If you enjoyed the Makisupa on 1/1/11, you’re welcome. I got arrested before the show that day for selling artwork on the first poster I sold that day. I was arrested with another phan who was selling pins (really awesome pins too). Why? Neither of us had a tax id. After selling a poster in front of the venue before doors opened, I was approached by a police officer and before I knew it, was in cuffs. I was searched and placed with a vendor who was selling pins. There was a semi-circle of 5 cops around us, as if we were active threats to public safety. After a half hour, we were loaded into a paddy wagon and driven to a station to be booked. We were hassled and we were mocked at the station for being phans, we were threatened and insulted, we had our shoelaces, belts and strings from our hoodies removed, we were fingerprinted and photographed…all for selling posters and pins. Luckily we made it out (with a ticket to appear in a New York City court in February) and inside the venue without missing any music, but I don’t recommend the experience to anyone.
This poster was the case
Following the steps below could have saved me from a major bummer of an experience. Be safe if you’re vending in NYC this year. Let’s face it, with all that is going on down on Wall Street, NYPD are going to be extra anxious to crack a few heads this year. Don’t be that head. I made it out of the precinct and inside MSG without missing any music, but I don’t recommend it to anyone. The City of New York requires all vendors including artists and written matter vendors to have a sales tax ID and carry it with them while vending.
To apply for a NY State Tax ID
Go to: http://www.nystax.gov/forms/sales_cur_forms.htm
Use form # DTF-17 (Fill-in)
DTF-17-I (Instructions)
Application to Register for a Sales Tax Certificate of Authority.
Use the NAICS Code Lookup to locate the appropriate NAICS code for
your sales tax registration.
See also Publication 75
OR apply for a tax ID online at http://www.nys-opal.com/
click on Taxation and Finance, Department of
Then click Certificate of Authority to Collect Sales Tax
The need for a vending permit to sell anything in NYC was brought to our attention. According to this link, a vending permit is not needed for specific things:
LICENSE DESCRIPTION:
You must have a General Vendor license if you sell, lease, or offer to sell or lease goods or services in a public place.
You do NOT need a General Vendor license if:
You sell newspapers, periodicals, books, pamphlets, or other written matter.
You sell artwork, including paintings, photographs, prints, and sculptures.
You sell food. Note: Food vending requires a license from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/health for information about food cart vendor licenses and permits.
You will only sell merchandise from a booth or stand at an authorized Street Fair (e.g., street fair, block party, or festival). Please note that you must obtain a Temporary Street Fair Vendor Permitto sell merchandise at an authorized Street Fair.
Phish fans could go so far as to argue that pins, shirts, etc… are artwork, and rightly so. PhanArt believes that anything that can be construed as taking a creative effort to design qualifies as art. This would not include food and other things that are more disposable, but this of course is up to the officer in question who approaches you. Be careful and if they ask you to stop selling, do so. It is artwork but is it worth going to jail for? More specifically, is it worth going to jail and missing Phish?
Disclaimer: While this information is a step to avoid problems from the police, it cannot prevent them from acting in their own judgment and arresting you for this or other offenses. PhanArt is offering this up as a potential to avoid arrest or harassment for vending in and around MSG. This is not iron clad and should not be treated as so. If you do take this advice, please remember to pay your taxes on the works you collect – both City of New York and State of New York taxes.
Holiday Run Coozies. Standard can size. Red on royal blue. Keep your drink cold in style. Give em as gifts to your favorite phish head and spread some holiday love.
New from Nesta’s Necessities, Simple NYC: A t-shirt for the NYE run at MSG. On the front is “Simple” with NYC skyline superimposed. On the back is “MSG NYC NYE” as well as the dates of the run.
Brian Kushner is back with some new products inspired by the MSG run. All links to purchase these items will be at the bottom of the post.
The MSG Subway Token Pin. It’s a Token… It’s a PIN… NO it’s BOTH! IT’s a Subway Token PIN. Double backed and numbered out of only 100. They are $15.00 each.
The MSG Glowing Manhole Cover Pin. Double backed and numbered out of only 100. They are $16.00 each.
The MSG Manhole Cover Die Struck Pin. Double backing and numbered. Limited edition of 50. They are $16.00 each.
The MSG PACK of 3 Pins. You get one of each pin. The Subway Token Pin, The Manhole Glowing Pin and the Manhole Die Struck Pin. Get a 4th surprise pin free with your purchase! They are $42.00 for the pack.
The Madison Square Garden canvas is 29″x14″ stretched and ready to hang. Edition of 27. Commemorating what will be a total of 27 MSG shows. The banners in the canvas list all the dates of all the MSG shows!
$150 shipped (with holiday extras!)
2012 MSG happy fish pins. Edition of 100, $15 each.
2012 MSG pinboard with three circle light pins. The foamcore board is 18″x10″x1/2″. Edition of 55. Pins are exclusive to these boards. The board is designed to showcase anywhere from zero to all 21 of the happy fish pins in the 2012 series.
The board plus 3 light pins are $50 each, shipped.
New from Pompeii Prints, “MSG NYE PIN 2012” is a 1.5″ die struck soft enamel without epoxy, with color, and two military clutch backs in a limited edition of 100 with individual numbering on each pin with back stamp. These pins are available for pre-order now. The price is $9.99 and everything on the site is free shipping! This item will begin shipping Dec 8th.
The collection is growing, this is Jen’s 3rd token! The design features an upward spiral emanating from the big apple. Jen’s inspiration for the design is, to take the New Year’s run energy and grow, expand, move forward and reach out in the coming year. There’s nowhere to go but UP! This year pins are available in sterling and brass for the first time! See them allhere.
Available in Sterling Silver: token $25, pin $30, pendant on cord $38, and a pendant on sterling chain $48
Or in Brass: token $15, magnet $20, pin $20, and a pendant on cord $25 (token is the size of a quarter).
Makes a great holiday gift for your favorite fan! This is a limited edition of 50 tokens, numbers are engraved on the back and Jen’s signature can be found on the bottom edge. The item comes nicely packaged and ships Priority Mail (Takes 2-3 days). Shipping is a flat $5.00 for as many items as will fit in the box, any additional jewelry from Jen’s Etsy shop will ship for free! Don’t forget she is donating 10% of every token sale to the Mockingbird Foundation.
