Augusta area arts groups are approaching the 2009-10 season still feeling the battered economy and diminished donations. Most say they are approaching the challenge of doing more with less with a sense of cautious optimism. Here's a sampling:
SANDRA SELF
executive director
Symphony Orchestra Augusta
EMPHASIS ON: Caution
WHY: Ms. Self said news that the economic recovery might not be fully realized until 2011 means the symphony has had to adopt a fiscally conservative approach. Musical choices have been altered because of the cost of scores and additional musicians, vacated positions went unfilled and the organization ended its newsletter. She said savings can be invested in the new component that has inspired optimism, the hiring of Music Director Shizuo Z Kuwahara.
"We have a new music director who is creating an extraordinary momentum, and we want to execute all the new, creative, and relevant ideas he has," she said. "But it's very difficult when we are forced to watch the bottom line so cautiously."
BARBARA FELDMAN
executive director
Storyland Theatre
EMPHASIS ON: Optimism
WHY: Ms. Feldman said Storyland hopes adjustments made over the past several years will pay dividends this season. The group has lower ticket rates for disadvantaged students in the hopes that it will offset the rising bus costs and lower field trip budgets. Storyland also offers free admission to active duty military families. She said the hope is that an economically more attractive Storyland will be able to maintain audience numbers.
REBEKAH HENRY
executive director
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art
EMPHASIS ON: Optimism
WHY: Ms. Henry said classes and workshops, important revenue for the organization, have remained strong. She said that has allowed Gertrude Herbert to expand its mission by adding a Community Art Gallery, opening this fall. The gallery will feature local artists and many artists in the main gallery will be regional.
Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or stevenuhles@augustachronicle.com.
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These are all the arts groups you could find to interview, Mr. Uhles?? Where are the quotes from the Augusta Mini-Theatre, the Augusta Players, Le Chat Noir, the Aiken Community Playhouse, the Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre? All of these places actually play to large crowds and have suffered with the economy too....where is the concern for them? As a patron of most of the above I'd like to know what they are doing to give me my money's worth this season.
No4ward. Of all three interviews only one organization dosen't depend on the public trough for funding and I wonder which one it is? It really sounds to me like all arts activities are taking a Democratic approach and realize there is no money. A CONservative approach would be "tax the little guys for what I want as entertainment". Apparently the "trickle up" is drying up and people just can't afford the prices anymore. And it isn't just arts, take a look at the attendance for sports, they are quickly pricing themselves out of existence and yet they refuse to lower their costs.