I was working with the Syracuse Symphony last week and was able to take a trip to Eastman to meet with Greg Sandow, who is teaching there once a week for seven weeks. Our talk went all over the map and we shared many ideas. He suggested I check out the Heinz Endowments and their grants for audience initiatives. It just so happens that the program was also in the news last week. The news is not good though, not good at all!….
Arts Funding
Start Funding the People!!!
I feel as though Joe Patti threw up a pass with his post Preserving the Moldy Old Arts. So I thought I would catch the ball and run with it for a while. I believe that the way the arts are funded by many agencies is deeply flawed in that the money goes towards supporting the arts groups and artists over the people they serve. Remember the famous bridge to nowhere in Alaska? I think the NEA realized that they did not want to cross that bridge!….
Jacksonville – Partners in a Business?..or..Partners for a Lifetime?
Drew’s post regarding ownership of a Symphony got me thinking. Those involved with a Symphony in any way be it managers, musicians, board members or audience members are in essence caretakers charged with delivering the orchestra to the next generation and beyond. Also, whilst there is not equal pay, there should however be equal say…..
New Year’s Resolutions – Re-join the League….
and lose 20 pounds!
The Springfield Symphony was one of the 39 charter orchestras that started ASOL. Well they’ve now changed their name, and it’s my hope they’re not going to be “in a league of their own”. I don’t want to be anonymous in any survey, and since they are new again, I just want to give my wish or hope list for the League of American Orchestras…..
Part 2 of 2: Putting the all in Hall, Audience Connections Final!
Welcome to The Underground!
What really surprised me about this concept is something that inadvertently came up during the final presentation. This Hall might actually provide a solution for saving money whilst working in concert with the environment, the community and the audience!…..Here is my summary and grading of Paper # 2:
Challenge = Opportunity part 4: Turning Green into Gold!
In the Springfield Symphony there are some musicians who have tremendous initiative when it comes to community outreach and education. One of them presented a proposal to the board last season to help fund a String Trio for a trip to our sister city in Japan as part of of a cultural exchange. It was a great proposal that already had funding attached. The board approved the funding, the trip happened and it was big success. In the background from some other musicians however there were some jealous rumblings. Not anymore…….
Taking it for Granting…..
The Springfield Symphony (MO) was just awarded a substantial grant from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for implementing a city wide program of community concerts with the assistance of students from 4 elementary schools helping to produce them with the aid of our professional staff. But, there’s a twist! Two hours before presenting the proposal to the committee, I was standing in front of my Audience Connections class discussing both the program and the presentation getting their feedback which actually altered my presentation. However that’s not the twist (more on the program soon). It’s that the grant is not the reason we are doing the program……