Be the Stimulus You Want to See in the World
March 1, 2009 - We interrupt our regularly scheduled postings of behind the scenes video etc. for a brief manifesto. I promise to return to the other stuff immediately after this, but I need to get this off my chest.
Recently, there has been a lot of media attention on what part funding to the arts would play in the federal economic stimulus package. There has been great rejoicing over the fact that the arts survived the axe, and I certainly join in that rejoicing. However, one should be aware amidst the rejoicing that government funding has never represented more than a few percentage points in most arts organizations budgets AND many very worthy arts organizations (OV included) receive virtually no government funding. Couple that with the fact that arts funding, at least at the state level, can be cut with only the signature of the governor and one other officer of public works at any time once the budgetary year has begun and methinks that a case can be made for attempting to create a more direct revenue stream between patron and arts organization.
I can hear you saying, "Why, whatever does he mean?" and so I'll just talk about two recent phenomena that will help lead into my point.
Story #1: In December 2008, OV sent out an appeal letter simply stating that if everyone who had enjoyed our programming over the past year sent us $25, OV would be in the black and committed to returning next season with more great chamber opera. So many people wrote, emailed, Facebooked, phoned, etc. me to say how much they appreciated getting such a positive, "can-do" appeal in the midst of all the gloom and doom BUT only a small percentage actually got around to putting pen to checkbook or index finger to mouse to click on the donate button. To those of you who did respond to the call for action THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your generosity. It's because of you that we're even still here for me to make this blog post.
Story #2: My videos and blog posts relating to our upcoming production of The Coronation of Poppea have generated lots of buzz. People come up to me, or email me, or Facebook me telling me how much they are looking forward to this production, how beautiful everything looks/sounds etc. BUT have yet to actually purchase a ticket. According to my Facebook profile, 54 of my friends are attending, but a quick cross-check reveals that only about 5 of them actually have bought a ticket.
Artists are by nature creative people and incredibly adept at doing a lot with very little BUT even we can't survive on good intentions SO HERE'S MY MANIFESTO -
Don't think about buying a ticket, BUY A TICKET!
Don't intend to make a donation (and let me reiterate that ANY dollar amount is useful and appreciated), ACTUALLY MAKE A DONATION!
You'll be surprised at how "stimulated" you feel by actually, proactively supporting the arts. They repay your investment like virtually nothing else every time.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Recently, there has been a lot of media attention on what part funding to the arts would play in the federal economic stimulus package. There has been great rejoicing over the fact that the arts survived the axe, and I certainly join in that rejoicing. However, one should be aware amidst the rejoicing that government funding has never represented more than a few percentage points in most arts organizations budgets AND many very worthy arts organizations (OV included) receive virtually no government funding. Couple that with the fact that arts funding, at least at the state level, can be cut with only the signature of the governor and one other officer of public works at any time once the budgetary year has begun and methinks that a case can be made for attempting to create a more direct revenue stream between patron and arts organization.
I can hear you saying, "Why, whatever does he mean?" and so I'll just talk about two recent phenomena that will help lead into my point.
Story #1: In December 2008, OV sent out an appeal letter simply stating that if everyone who had enjoyed our programming over the past year sent us $25, OV would be in the black and committed to returning next season with more great chamber opera. So many people wrote, emailed, Facebooked, phoned, etc. me to say how much they appreciated getting such a positive, "can-do" appeal in the midst of all the gloom and doom BUT only a small percentage actually got around to putting pen to checkbook or index finger to mouse to click on the donate button. To those of you who did respond to the call for action THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your generosity. It's because of you that we're even still here for me to make this blog post.
Story #2: My videos and blog posts relating to our upcoming production of The Coronation of Poppea have generated lots of buzz. People come up to me, or email me, or Facebook me telling me how much they are looking forward to this production, how beautiful everything looks/sounds etc. BUT have yet to actually purchase a ticket. According to my Facebook profile, 54 of my friends are attending, but a quick cross-check reveals that only about 5 of them actually have bought a ticket.
Artists are by nature creative people and incredibly adept at doing a lot with very little BUT even we can't survive on good intentions SO HERE'S MY MANIFESTO -
Don't think about buying a ticket, BUY A TICKET!
Don't intend to make a donation (and let me reiterate that ANY dollar amount is useful and appreciated), ACTUALLY MAKE A DONATION!
You'll be surprised at how "stimulated" you feel by actually, proactively supporting the arts. They repay your investment like virtually nothing else every time.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Labels: fundraising, productions
posted by Opera Vivente at
4:59 AM
1 Comments:
Done! I just bought my tickets for both Poppea and Herring.
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