s******g
发帖数: 755 | 1 It was the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra’s February 2011 concert. As
audience members filed out of the
Theater @ 1800, having taken in a night of music from “Star Wars” and
other blockbuster movies, they paused briefly
to press yellow sticky notes on the theater lobby walls.
On the notes, which were distributed earlier with the concert programs, were
the handwritten notes of praise,
constructive criticism, and suggestions that audience members jotted down
for the CWSO.
The messages included:
“More Mozart.” “Great concert.” “No more Mozart.” “I love CWSO.”
“The visual of it, to me, is a great picture of our public worth,” CWSO
Managing Director Ann Huntoon says of the 372
sticky notes left on that wall.
This informal survey is just one of the creative strategies CWSO has been
implementing in their fight to stay relevant –
and financially viable – in the current economic and political climate.
In a cost-saving measure, the CWSO reorganized their management structure
this past year, splitting the executive
director position into two part-time positions: an orchestra director and
managing director.
Then Gov. Scott Walker’s Budget Repair Bill made deep cuts to the Wisconsin
Arts Board, which provides critical
funding to small nonprofits across the state, including CWSO. The orchestra,
which has been receiving $6,000 to
$8,000 annually from the WI Arts Board, is now trying to figure out how to
bridge that gap in a challenging fundraising
environment that is trending towards less corporate and individual
contributions.
“It’s definitely bad news,” Huntoon says of the WI Arts Board cuts. “We
’re planning conservatively that we won’t have
that money in the future, and that will impact our programming capabilities.
”
CWSO, now in its 63rd year, serves a five-county area in terms of an
audience base, says Huntoon. Under the
direction of Dr. Patrick Miles, Music Director, the 70-member orchestra puts
on a four-concert season starting in
October and ending in April, along with other special and collaborative
events throughout the year.
Creatively, CWSO is going strong, with audience numbers up for the 2010-2011
season, tagged “Uniquely Yours!” Both
holiday concerts sold out, and the orchestra is making a conscious effort to
do more partnering with local organizations.
For instance, different area music studios were invited to participate in
lobby entertainm ent at the concerts, Huntoon
says.
“There’s been a general increase in enthusiasm at concerts,” Huntoon says.
The orchestra has also sought input from audience members and symphony
supporters, not only through the sticky
note exercise, but through a series of electronic surveys. As a result of
this process, the orchestra received many
helpful suggestions related to program choices and partnership opportunities
that will help shape future seasons.
Also new this season, the orchestra secured corporate sponsorships from
Marshfield Clinic and Security Health Plan. A
new, professionally designed web site allows for more sponsorship
opportunities.
And, facing a budget shortfall going into the season finale concert in April
, the orchestra held a fundraising campaign,
challenging its supporters to each give $10. The effort raised $3,000,
nearly a half-sponsorship for one of CWSO’s
concerts, and the orchestra is saying “thank you” by referring to it’s
April concert as “the people’s concert.”
Knowing that other local arts organizations are “in the same boat”
financially, the CWSO is working closely with the
Arts Alliance of Portage County, a nonprofit arts advocacy organization, to
bring all area arts organizations together
with one voice.
“We are looking to just be out there and let the business community know
that we’re not the enemy,” says Huntoon,
adding that the arts have a well-documented positive economic impact on the
entire community – including area
businesses.
As for the orchestra’s future, Huntoon remains optimistic. |
|
