Smithsonian packs a (free) party and brings home the bacon

The Smithsonian was a zoo this weekend! (The cultural activity of my Oct 17; I'm almost up to date.) It was rainy outside, the museum was free, and the people came. There were children and strollers and umbrellas and wheelchairs. I was trying to decide if the museum staff was elated or frustrated.



My friend Stacie, who was visiting from out of town, commented that she really appreciated that all the Smithsonian museums are free. I said I definitely agree, but was surprised they were not more aggressive in collecting donations at the door - usually people will give a small amount when enjoying something free (this is how all NCTA folk festivals operate - what we call the "bucket brigade" - where volunteers wander the grounds and collect money in buckets). Maybe wandering is less appropriate in a museum, but they could have large donation signage and containers at the entrances. It occurred to me that maybe they don't solicit individual donations, because they receive a dominant amount of money from the government -- but I checked and there's a donate option on the Smithsonian website. I don't know how much of their income comes from public money versus private contributions, so I looked it up on GuideStar (a great resource). Here's the rundown: Their revenue was just under $493.5 million in 2008. Of this, $129 million was from public support, $119 million was from government contributions, $74 million came from program service revenue, $50 million came from membership, $43 million came from sales of inventory (gift shop, cafe, maybe?), and the rest was mostly split between assets sold, interest on savings, and special events (remarkably small at $262 thousand - recalling to mind a valuable lesson that special events are not all they're cracked up to be, in terms of relative earning potential). Their expenses came in at $406 million, giving them a solid bottom line in the black of about $85 million. So what have we learned? The Smithsonian is financially responsible, and has amazing free museums, with really high attendance, especially on rainy days.

We also ventured into the East building of the National Gallery of Art and perused the contemporary art floor. My favorite viewing was Matisse's Paper Cutouts, on special exhibit, the bright colors of which covered entire walls. He began to make them when he was recovering from surgery and painting was physically difficult.

Photos are of the main hall of the Natural History Museum, and an overhead shot of the Sea Life wing. I took both of these. The one below is me in front of the Smithsonian Castle, taken by Stacie.

Richmond Folk Festival and School Outreach Performances

From October 5-12, I spent a week in Richmond, Virginia working on site at the Richmond Folk Festival. What I had the privilege of coordinating was the school outreach program - for which we sent 6 bands of musicians into 16 elementary, middle, and high schools in the Richmond Public School district. Participants included Debashish Bhattacharya (Indian slide guitar), Jorge Negron's Master Bomba Ensemble (Puerto Rican Bomba Percussion and Dance Ensemble), Khogzhumchu (Tuvan throat-singing), Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris (acoustic blues), North Bear (Northern Plains drum), and Min Ji Kim and Bora Ju (Korean music and dance). It was a fantastic program - the principals all expressed to me how much they value having the musicians come perform for the students. Some crammed their entire school population into the auditorium for the shows - as large as 700 students at one school.

The best I heard back from the musicians were these 3 things:

1. When Debashish came back to the hotel, I asked, "Did the kids seem to enjoy it?" to which he responded in his thick Indian accent "Oh, I had more fun than kids!!" (He good heartedly endured a 6:45 AM lobby call for that performance.)

2. The artist buddy said that the gym/auditorium in which Phil and Corey played had historic hardwood floors, and when Phil made the rich sound of a train chugging on his harmonica, all the kids enthusiastically thump-thumped their feet on the floor in the same rhythm, resonating the feel of a train through the whole room.

3. When we showed the non-English-speaking member of Khogzhumchu that he was on the front page of the Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper the morning following his school performance, he put both hands in the air rock-star style, and said "SUPA-STAH!"

Huge thanks owed to Tim Timberlake and his non-profit JamInc for providing sound and transportation support.

It was a great festival week. And with a heavy heart, my last with the NCTA this season.




Photo at top is of the Virginia Intertribal Drum and Dance group, whose performance I coordinated on Sunday. Second photo directly above is of me and Max, delivering sound equipment in a golf cart.

The Dinner Party

While in New York City over October 3-4, Stephanie and Salina and I went to see Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. A feminist piece from the 1970's that has had difficulty finding a museum home in the past, it was something I didn't know a lot about. Stephanie had done ample research on it previously (I believe in grad school under Dr. Michelle Facos - one of our favorites - at IU). The exhibit space was really well put together; it created an experience that was quiet and reflective, and dark, as you can see from the picture, with the lighting focused on the place settings. And what I thought was unusual for an art museum and contributed particularly to my appreciation and understanding was the contextual information provided. First, to carry around with you, there was a laminate-cards flip book with a brief summary of the accomplishments of each woman whose place-setting graced the table (Virginia Woolf, one of my favorites, was chosen, but many names I did not know. Woolf's place is the pale green one, second on the left in the photo). Second, beside the exhibit room, there were large panels detailing all the research of women's history done to complete the piece. There were benches in front of these, and we sat and read for a long time. Judy Chicago did her job, because I left thinking about my identity as a woman (which I do not often do) and how fortunate I was to have been born in a time period after all the brave women who fought for civility toward and equality for women for so many centuries. Also of note, the Brooklyn Museum of Art's lobby signage reads with specific admission prices. But when you go to pay, they reveal it's a "suggested" donation - and you can pay what you wish or are able. I think there's value to a pay-what-you-can pricing structure, and also a "suggested price" when accepting donations but I'm wondering about the type of research they did to conclude it was the most beneficial structure to maximize patronage. We were there on a Sunday and it seemed quiet.

Working Waterfront Festival

On September 25-27, I traveled with an NCTA co-worker to help out at the Working Waterfront Festival in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It was sunny Saturday and rained hard on Sunday (part of reporting the how-it-went of any outdoor festival inevitably includes a weather report). During the very last dreary hours on Sunday, there was scheduled to be the second performance of the New Bedford Harbor Sea Chanty Chorus. They already had one performance earlier in the day, the festival was nearly empty of its visitors, and the rain location for the concert was in a building a bit off the beaten path; suffice it to say I had low expectations for the turnout. Assigned to serve as the coordinator and presenter, I showed up half hour before the start of the set, prepared to say, "You know, you guys don't have to perform; I'm so sorry to say there may not be an audience to appreciate your songs." I didn't get a couple words into this sentence when they said, "Oh, not to worry! We're used to singing for ourselves! It'll be fine! And someone might show up to listen - you never know!" So they went on, and slowly but surely, people started to trickle in the warehouse. They pulled up chairs and the singers circled around them; an inverted and encompassing experience for listeners. Grandchildren showed up with bright eyes; neighbors came. I sat and listened quietly. They sang about their town, their traditions, the sea, the fishermen, and the Schooner Ernestina that they all volunteer and raise money to restore. They forgot some of the words to their songs, but the inside of the warehouse glowed with their spirit. And this is what it reminded me: festivals have different purposes. The NCTA folk festivals serve to bring artists and types of music to towns that otherise wouldn't be exposed to them; they focus on access and exposure; they bring in something new. The Working Waterfront Festival serves to encourage a community to come together and discuss its working culture, political issues related to commercial fishing, and celebrate its unique identity; it relishes and renews something old. So this is what all people who work in events, festivals, and arts orgs should ask themselves: what is the purpose of this event, who is it really for, and measure its success by how well it serves that purpose and those people. The Working Waterfront Festival left me feeling very satisfied. And I'm not even from New Bedford.

NEA National Heritage Fellowships

Last week, I had the extraordinary honor of participating in the celebration surrounding the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowships, where eleven selected folk artists were honored for their contribution to our country's cultural heritage. There was an award ceremony on Tuesday evening, followed by a dinner in the Library of Congress. The honors continued Thursday, with a concert at Strathmore, hosted by NCTA friend Nick Spitzer, of NPR's American Routes. During Tuesday's dinner, each of the fellows stood up and spoke about their work and their heritage.
Every single one of them was incredibly thankful and gracious. A common thread throughout the evening was mention of what exceptional fortune they felt they have had, to come to be in America, be it through their ancestors or their own emigration; as our great country has given them the opportunity and freedom to practice their craft and carry on their tradition, as a true a receptacle for heritages and customs of all people who make this their home. Hearing them each speak was really a treat. Sophiline Cheam Shapiro came out of the Khmer Rouge holocaust to teach classical Cambodian dance to a new generation in California. Teri Rofkar continues a tradition of spruce root gathering and basket weaving from the Raven Clan in Alaska; she shared a story of a basket found recently in an archeological dig near her home that was dated at 5,000 years old, that bore the same pattern of weaving she uses and teaches today. Cowboy poet Joel Nelson stood up and said "This is the second greatest honor I have been given in my life. The first is sitting right over there," refering to his wife Sylvia who works side-by-side with him on their 24,000 acre ranch in Alpine, Texas.
LeRoy Graber was truly a delight, telling a story about two horses, to whom he felt he owed his life, that lead his grandfather through a blizzard to safety, over 80 years ago. His grandfather taught him to weave when he was ten years old. There are wonderful stories from each of the fellows, and I really encourage anyone to listen to their interviews posted on the NEA site. Another highlight for me was the chance to speak briefly to Rocco Landesman, newly appointed NEA chairman, near the end of the evening.

In the photo above, Rocco stands at the podium, the fellows to the left and right of him. The most prominent audience members sitting in front of me are Amma McKen's cheering section (she is on the far right). The second photo is inside the Library of Congress, a stunning backdrop for the evening, just as people come downstairs for dinner.

Banners!

I've been helping the University of Michigan Men's Glee Club, for the last few months, with their graphic design and brand image for their 150th year of existence. The most exciting pieces so far are these banners, currently hanging on 18 lamp posts on and around the campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I designed them and sent in the final digital drafts, but haven't made it back to see them in person yet. Fortunately, a photo found its way to my inbox! I'm thrilled - I think they look quite good! They'll be up all school year.


(Photo thanks to the Club, I did not take this one.)

Self Publishing

I came across this website: lulu.com where one can upload their writing, design a book cover, and start selling their own book instantly, without years of publishers reading manuscripts and saying "no thank you" before getting a break. I'm naturally skeptical, as this process bypasses the normal publishing and distribution system. I was taught that consumers view their time, not their money, as their most valuable resource - so they won't sit through the consumption of things they don't enjoy (movies, books, concerts). For this reason, we have gatekeepers - experts in respective fields that produce movies, books, etc, that say red light, green light, on projects depending on their quality and potential to sell well. (Though keeping in mind, "nobody knows," via Rushton and Caves, which is why we have flops sometimes.) Gatekeepers help weed out lesser quality projects from reaching the public, and make it easier for average consumers to find things they enjoy, without having to sort through every artist in a field themselves.

That said, gatekeepers became less important in the music industry, when homegrown bands started uploading their music on the web, sharing it, and experiencing success by the popularity democratically gained. Record labels are still useful, however, for marketing and distribution, and assumption of risk, but the way something becomes popular has definitely changed. I wonder if this could happen next with books. Lulu does rank top sellers right on their front page, so you can buy what other people buy - generally a good indicator you might like something. I guess the question would be, is are major book publishers paying attention? Are they cruising for their next bestselling author on these sites? (And if they bite, does it decrease their risk, because they have evidence this writer is already somewhat popular?) Or will they continue to read manuscripts and find their authors and take risk in the usual way?