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For the past couple months, there's been so much gloom and doom in the news for the performing arts--theatres laying off half their staffs, chopping their seasons, opera and ballet companies declaring bankruptcy... I could go on and on--in fact, i have, in several previous posts. There have been some bright spots, communities pulling together to save their local theatres and dance companies and such, but this is the brightest spot yet:
Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center, has announced an initiative to help save struggling companies, by helping them help themselves.
Here's a quote:
On Tuesday, Kaiser officially unveiled the Arts in Crisis initiative, designed to advise failing organizations on how to most effectively stay afloat. Kaiser espouses a theory I'm a major proponent of--to cut your actual chaff, not your programming or your creative teams, if at all possible:
Some organizations who've already benefited from the aid of the Kennedy Center team include the Lousiana Philharmonic Orchestra (whom they helped to survive the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the New York City Opera.
So y'all, we grassroots have our part to play here. Get the word out there!
If your local theatre or opera or ballet company is struggling and needs help, forward them this link, where they can request aid and counseling from Arts in Crisis.
By the same token, if you're an arts administrator who'd like to mentor struggling organizations who need your help, check out this link because Arts in Crisis wants your assistance!
And, just so it's not all bureaucracy and budget crises up in here, i'll talk about millinery while i'm at it.
With all the talk in the news about Aretha Franklin's inauguration hat (here's an article on the "church hat" tradition, using Ms. Franklin's hat as an example), i have to share my own Opening Night hat, which is quite similar in its giant-bow focal point, but at the same time quite different.
( Read more... )
Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center, has announced an initiative to help save struggling companies, by helping them help themselves.
Here's a quote:
He said his team could devote significant time and up to $500,000 in expenses to provide emergency planning for fundraising, budgeting, marketing or other strategies as box office revenues decline and donations and endowments run dry.
On Tuesday, Kaiser officially unveiled the Arts in Crisis initiative, designed to advise failing organizations on how to most effectively stay afloat. Kaiser espouses a theory I'm a major proponent of--to cut your actual chaff, not your programming or your creative teams, if at all possible:
Kaiser's first piece of advice for struggling groups: Focus on generating revenue.
"Too often the nature of survival is to focus on cutting costs," he said. "The second is when we do have to cut costs, cut programming last, not first. I fear that's not what's happening now." [emphasis mine]
Cutting back on artistic innovations and programming makes it harder for a group to recover and compete for funding, he said "and you appear as a less exciting organization" - a mantra Kaiser repeats from lessons developed through the Kennedy Center's arts management institute.
Some organizations who've already benefited from the aid of the Kennedy Center team include the Lousiana Philharmonic Orchestra (whom they helped to survive the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the New York City Opera.
So y'all, we grassroots have our part to play here. Get the word out there!
If your local theatre or opera or ballet company is struggling and needs help, forward them this link, where they can request aid and counseling from Arts in Crisis.
By the same token, if you're an arts administrator who'd like to mentor struggling organizations who need your help, check out this link because Arts in Crisis wants your assistance!
And, just so it's not all bureaucracy and budget crises up in here, i'll talk about millinery while i'm at it.
With all the talk in the news about Aretha Franklin's inauguration hat (here's an article on the "church hat" tradition, using Ms. Franklin's hat as an example), i have to share my own Opening Night hat, which is quite similar in its giant-bow focal point, but at the same time quite different.
( Read more... )
