Art-Reach is pleased to announce that Matt Bryan has been promoted to Program Director. In his previous role as Program Manager, Matt oversaw day-to-day operations of the Ticket and In-Facility Programs. Over the past year, Matt’s focus has turned strongly to include developing strong relationships with members both with potential organizations as well as guiding current members in the best ways to use the services Art-Reach provides.Matt has thrived with this charge, empowering members to think creatively and utilize all resources available to them, and we are proud to announce that his title is officially being upgraded to include this responsibility in an ongoing capacity.
Matt joined the Art-Reach team in February 2007, following a successful internship with the organization. Now closing in on his fourth successful year with the company, we are thrilled with his compassion and commitment to ensure that the arts remain accessible to everyone. Please help me congratulate Matt Bryan on his newly enhanced role with Art-Reach. Together, Matt will allow us all to raise our bar on service and make 2011 a phenomenal year!
On February 19th Art-Reach and Buildabridge team up to host an event called Day of Healing meant to care for caregivers. BuildaBridge, a long time Art-Reach member, will invite their staff and Art-Reach has extended invitations to their member liaisons; those individuals at member agencies who act as the main point of contact ensuring that the clients they serve receive Art-Reach programming.
Throughout the year Art-Reach member liaisons work tirelessly to bring the arts to their clients who have disabilities and/or economic disadvantages. Day of Healing provides these dedicated professionals the opportunity to spend a day focusing on their own well being so that they can be revitalized, more effective caregivers. Planned activities are geared towards invigorating the mind, body and essence that drives these individuals to help others daily. This event also serves to introduce our Art-Reach member liaisons to arts partners and In-Facility artists, who they perhaps have not yet experienced thru hands on workshop activities.
Penelope Reed, Producing Artistic Director of Hedgerow Theatre will kick the festivities off with a group activity using interactive theatre games and exercises to relieve stress and share experiences creatively. The motivation is that participants learn to use theatre techniques as a fun, effective way to promote open dialogues with the clients they serve concerning challenging subject matter that allows both caregiver and client the opportunity to view the world from a different perspective.
Also featured will be In-Facility artists Beth McGuigan, leading a session on self introspection through sculpting clay; Angel Baby Music, a 3-piece trio also trained in music therapy and individual music lessons, performing during lunch; and Tony Mascara, who will present his interactive Art-Reach program The Audio Lab and conclude with a group drum circle.
Art-reach Ambassadors will be on hand to ensure the day runs smoothly and Second Street Baptist Church of Germantown has donated its majestic facility for the event, offering free accessible parking. Smaller group break out sessions will be offered to participants including workshops teaching jewelry making, poetry, yoga, dance, papermaking and baking. In fact those participating in baking will bake bread and present it to their peers during lunch. Throughout the day chair massages will be offered to participants. Like Second Baptist Church of Germantown , these artists and massage therapists have also generously donated their time and talents in order to make this event possible so that Art-Reach member liaisons are able to rejuvenate and get a refreshed start in bringing the arts to their clients in 2010!
The program runs from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm on February 19th at, Second Street Baptist Church of Germantown 6459 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119-2345. Cost is $10 per person and participants must be current Art-Reach members in good standing. Limited space is still available, and those interested in participating should contact Stephanie Borton via email or 215-568-2115 x3 for registration information.
Art-Reach would like to thank everyone who worked, attended, or supported the 2009 annual brunch. This past Sunday more than 225 guests joined Art-Reach at the Bellevue for our 18th annual fundraising brunch: “Dixieland Jam: A Celebration of New Orleans Jazz.”
Christine Rouse accepting her award
Amy Murphy Nolen accepting her award
Complete with a live auction by Mayor Nutter for lunch with the Nutters, music from John Hoey Orchestra, a terrific meal and a silent auction packed full of goodies the event was dubbed a smashing success. Our volunteer ambassadors were charming, our donors were generous and we are pleased to share that our goal was exceeded. The entire event grossed over $74,000, far beyond what we aimed to achieve! We thank everyone involved. Because of your support, Art-Reach will continue to be successful in bringing the arts to people who need it most.
Mayor Nutter auctioned breakfast with the Nutters, and then added a second dining session that doubled the amount raise. We can not thank him enough!
We thank David Cohen for introducing our 2009 Commitment to Cultural Access Honorees during the awards ceremony and for representing Art-Reach beautifully.
The brunch may be over, but the fun continues with another fantastic way you can support Art-Reach. This Monday evening The Monsters of Folk will perform in concert at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia as a benefit for Art-Reach. A portion of each ticket sold will be donated to us, and Art-Reach staff members will be on hand to provide information about our services. When Monsters of Folk began 5 years ago, they deliberately gave their band a name to throw audience expectation off kilter as a way to stress their versatility and illustrating that they touch on many types of music without easily being categorized into one type specifically. As Michael Hill writes on their web site, “Though there are elements of country, blues, easygoing rock and, yes, folk to be heard throughout, the overall sound defies instant categorization.” The concert begins at 8pm, and tickets can be purchased by visiting www.kimmelcenter.org.
We hope to see you this coming Monday evening, November 9, to support Art-Reach and a band that is not only talented, but makes it a point to give back to the communities they entertain. For more information about Monsters of Folk, visit www.monstersoffolk.com .
Hi folks, we will be posting many fantastic articles over the next two days in celebration of our annual brunch. To start off the day, we bring you the inner workings of our office in brunch preparation mode. Sage Young is heading the whole shebang and doing a tremendous job. However we fear the stress may be getting to her. She's gone from 'glam' girl to fuzzy little monster --- take a look!!!!!!!
That is Sage, behind the desk, directing Rachel and Nicole in creating brunch packages.
Do you think she needs a break?
Actually, as you may have guessed, this is an auction item that will be paired with our brunch package entitled "For Your Little Monsters". It includes two tickets to Sesame Place (donated by one of our fabulous ambassadors who works at Sesame Place, Curtia Goode) and this fuzzy little friend provided by Cutesy but not Cutesy. Our staff has fallen in love with her, and will be sad to see her go, but you can have a chance to bid on this great package at the event.
Held Friday, October 2, 2009 Arts Supporters raised their voices to keep the arts accessible to everyone.
Local actor, Ben Dibble, and his family attended. Ben spoke passionately imploring our government to veto the proposed tax as it would surely lead to downsizing actors as well as various jobs held in the non-profit cultural arts sector. Proudly proclaiming that he and his family are natives of, and want to remain in Pennsylvania, he explained how he may be forced to choose which of his 3 children gain exposure to the arts; his very own craft.
"I am an actor. It’s what I am skilled at and what I am trained to do. As a family, we accept that we will always live a simple, financially austere life. It is the pact you make with the universe when you decide to become an artist," he said. “I can no more envision cutting culture from my kids' lives than bringing them out here today without shoes on their feet. But if this tax were ever put into effect, I would have to ration it. Which membership would fall by the wayside to balance our family budget – Please Touch? The Zoo? Longwood Gardens? Which of our three kids gets to go to the ballet? Which to a youth symphony concert at the Philadelphia Orchestra? All of my children deserve each of these experiences, but how could we afford a family outing with the additional cost?
The truth is this: it will affect the livelihoods of countless Pennsylvanians. Here is how it could affect my family. It will add a cost to theatre tickets during an economic downturn. This will keep people out of theatres: older audiences, younger audiences, audiences who have lost their jobs or their nest eggs. Ticket sales will suffer. Theatres will have to eliminate staff positions. They will produce fewer shows. And – here’s where it affects my family personally – they will choose smaller shows with fewer actors and possibly pay those fewer actors less. Artist positions will, in a very real sense, be downsized. Fewer jobs for artists will make an already competitive market even more competitive and will make providing for my family even more difficult than it already is. And I, of course, am far from alone.
That’s how it will affect artists. But, I’ve got to tell you, it will affect audiences just as much. I LOVE the theatre audiences in Philadelphia, from the thousands of children I’ve met doing shows at People's Light and Theatre Company and the Arden, to the thousands of adults I’ve met at the Walnut, Wilma, and Lantern. In the last ten years I’ve seen these audiences grow and diversify. I want this to continue. Every, every family, no matter how much their parents make, should be able to go to the theatre together. No state should penalize its families by assuming that culture is created only for the wealthy. Especially when our non-profit theatres are working tirelessly to keep ticket prices low while continuing to pay artists a livable wage.
Culture is a fancy word, but its importance in our lives is not frivolous. It is essential. It brings people together. At the very least it brings people joy, and at its best it changes lives. It opens conversations. It sustains us. It is NOT a luxury."
Barbara Gregson of Independence Art Studio, and a member of Art-Reach, spoke on behalf of the disability community in support of Art-Reach's work and the need to keep ticket prices low. She explained that without the help of organizations like Art-Reach, the people with whom she works would not be able to access the arts, and adding an additional cost to an already economically struggling population would ensure their allienation from the arts.
Our mission is to connect underserved audiences with cultural experiences so that they may enjoy and benefit from the transformative powers of the arts. Our Blog, Art-Reach: The Experience, serves to connect Art-Reach with its constituents and the general public to celebrate our successes, share information, and highlight mission related items.
