Arts nonprofits rely on private donations to keepticket prices affordable and make arts education programs available to children. With the economic downturn, not surprisingly, individual and corporate donations have declined.

Even where attendance has remained steady, the drop in donations has brought many arts organizations to the edge of survival.

The latest is the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 1998, it has put on 92 concerts, including eight world or national premieres, and has brought music to thousands of kids in our region.

Unless it raises $300,000 by May 15, the philharmonic faces taking a one-year hiatus with no programming in the 2012-13 season, offering a severely truncated 2012-13 season – or even closing its doors. As of Wednesday, it had raised $96,575 from 104 donors – 22 of them new – with contributions ranging from $10 to $10,000.

This arts organization, like so many others in our region, is worth preserving. If they can just stabilize in the coming weeks and months, the region needs to craft whole new approaches. A cry of alarm from year to year is no way to support the arts.

Promising avenues do exist.

One is merger. While it is common in Europe to combine opera, symphony and ballet companies, such cooperation in the United States is unusual. In fact, the mid-sized community of Dayton,Ohio, is the first. In February, the boards of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Operaand Dayton Ballet merged their budgets and management under one executive director and one board of directors. They continue to have three artistic directors. It took 16 months to pull this together.

Sacramento should explore a similar merger.

The Sacramento Philharmonic and Sacramento Opera had a productive meeting in January and the Irvine Foundation has expressed interest in helping with a merger. That, of course, won’t help with immediate funding, but could help with long-term viability.

Another is to create a united arts fund. Again, Dayton provides an example of what is possible. The Greater Dayton region has one organization, Culture Works, that oversees a regionwide united arts fundraising campaign, so donors can make one consolidated gift to the arts to support multiple arts organizations. That avoids the fragmentation and competition of multiple fundraising drives.

The Greater Sacramento region should explore something similar.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson’s ”For Art’s Sake” initiative is planning to launch an “Art Day of Giving,” a 24-hour matching donation blitz on Saturday, Oct. 20, modeled on what Pittsburgh has done. Donors will be able to choose which organizations to give to. That’s not a united arts fund, but a step in the right direction.

Greater Sacramento has some catching up to do – starting with saving the philharmonic.

Act Now! – All ballots must be received by March 3,  2012

Vote Here   Under “Favorite Small Cities for Art” select “Other” and type in Dayton, OH.

Culture Works is asking all Dayton residents to vote for Dayton as one of the country’s premier small cities for the arts.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to show our pride in Dayton/Montgomery County art and culture,” said Jacquelyn Powell, President and CEO of the Dayton Montgomery County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Last year, in its May 2011 issue, American Style magazine published its guide to the top 25 cities small cities for the arts, and did not include Dayton.

“I was shocked to see that Dayton wasn’t included,” said Martine Meredith Collier, President & CEO of Culture Works.  “And even more disappointing–Dayton is not even on the ballot this year. “

Collier encourages every Dayton citizen to show their civic pride by going to the ballot before voting ends March 3rd, and placing a “write-in” vote for Dayton.  A check box is provided on the ballot to write the name of a city not included on the ballot.

Vote Here   Under “Favorite Small Cities for Art” select “Other” and type in Dayton, OH.

In 2011, the top 5 small arts cities identified by the magazine included Asheville, NC; Santa Fe, NM, Gloucester, MA; Saugatuck, MI; and Sarasota, FL.  The magazine also ranks the top big and medium-sized cities for art.  In 2011, Columbus ranked 23^rd for big cities, and in the mid-sized city category, Cleveland ranked 22nd and Cincinnati ranked 25^th.

“The arts are critically important to attracting the types of people and businesses that will ensure we are a thriving and vibrant region,” says  Colleen Ryan, Chair of the Culture Works 2012 Campaign for the Arts, and President of Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio. Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio was recently named as the 2012 Governor’s Award Winner for its business support of the arts.

“Everyone who lives here knows what an incredible arts city Dayton is,” said Ryan, “We need to make sure that the rest of the country knows it too.

Vote Here   Under “Favorite Small Cities for Art” select “Other” and type in Dayton, OH.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3YYDSTL

Act Now! – All ballots must be received by March 3,  2012

Now, 16 months later those discussions have concluded in a merger which is the first of its kind in the U.S. The three organizations introduced themselves last week as the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance.  The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance begins its new life with new funding. The newly formed Alliance has already received significant funding commitments or support including a $500,000 gift over two years from the Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation and another $500,000 over two years from an anonymous donor, with a potential additional grant of $250,000 in year three. Encouraged by these two generous lead gifts the Arts Alliance will continue to seek other sources of funding, with a strong indication of interest from a number of other Dayton organizations and individuals.

“The merger of the Ballet, Opera, and Philharmonic represents some of our best collaborative thinking as a community,” said Dick DeLon, Dayton Philharmonic Board Chair. “We are planning for future success by creating a single management structure and business operating unit, while preserving and promoting the integrity and identity of each of the participating arts groups.”

The question the arts groups initially posed to themselves led them to The Dayton Foundation which was able to provide a structure and financial assistance for their successful merger discussions.

Mike Parks, The Dayton Foundation President, commended the three arts organizations for their spirit of innovation and creative thinking about how to enhance and even transform performing arts for the benefit of the community. Parks said, “Over the past 16 months, The Dayton Foundation was also pleased to assist their management and Boards with funds from the Nonprofit Alliance Support Program. The program, funded by The Dayton Foundation, the Dayton Power & Light Foundation, and Montgomery County (OH), is designed to support partnership and merger explorations of nonprofits.”

“It took great foresight, courage, and leadership to engage in the complex due diligence process and pursue a common vision. We are thrilled with what this first-in-the-nation merger will mean for Greater Dayton. The Dayton Ballet, Opera, and Philharmonic are integral to the cultural health of our community, and this merger, this act of renewal, energizes our culture for generations to come,” Parks said.

According to Greg Robinson, Chairman of the Dayton Opera Association Board, the two new major grants are to be used to help the Alliance manage costs associated with the merger, itself, with projected operating shortfalls while economies of scale are realized. These grants will also and, perhaps most importantly, provide support for new artistic initiatives that are at the heart of this innovative merger plan.

Robinson said that the new Alliance will also be well positioned to focus on increased ticket sales, comarketing opportunities and new sources of funding and sponsorships. “Our plan is premised upon a higher level of engagement from the community through memberships, attendance, and philanthropy. We’re excited about opportunities to broaden and deepen our relationships throughout the community.”

Jeremy Trahan, President of the Dayton Ballet Association Board, described both the importance of maintaining the individual identity of the arts organizations while seeking new opportunities for artistic collaboration. “In our planning process, we recognized that a single, stronger governing body could also facilitate artistic collaboration in a way that had not been fully explored in our community, or even nationally.We have the foundation now for very forward thinking in performing arts.”

“Increased financial efficiencies may be what people think of first when they learn of this merger, and that is certainly an important outcome,” said Martine Meredith Collier, President and CEO of Culture Works, the united arts fund and service agency for the Dayton region. “However, what is equally exciting to me is the quality of the artistic product that will be possible within this new and innovative organizational structure. The potential for outstanding performances, highlighting the best of each art form, is unlimited as is the opportunity for expanding the delivery of arts education and community outreach resources through consolidated efforts.”

The merger agreement was approved during the week of January 30, 2012 individually by each of the arts organization’s respective governing boards. The final step in formalizing the merger agreement will be voted upon by the Dayton Ballet membership on February 22, 2012 and Dayton Opera Associations’ membership on March 1, 2012, per those organizations’ by-laws.

Results of the Research were presented to members of the community, at the Culture Creates Community Event, on February 2, 2012.  This research is viewed as a first step to a larger cultural planning initiative for the Dayton region.

Click here to view the AMS Cultural Market Research Presentation.

For more information, contact Culture Works at info@cultureworks.org

“This provides an excellent incentive for new donors to participate in the Culture Works Campaign and achieve a 100 percent return on their investment,” said Alan Schaeffer, chair of the Culture Works Board of Trustees, “not to mention an opportunity for longtime supporters to leverage the impact of increased giving.”

During the 2010-2011 Campaign, Culture Works was successful in raising more than $100,000 in new money, allowing the organization to receive the matching funding provided by the 2010-2011 challenge grant. Culture Works hopes to build on last year’s success in 2011-2012 to ensure that the matching funding is again met.

“Culture Works is very grateful for the opportunity provided by this challenge grant,” said Culture Works President & CEO Martine Meredith Collier. “The Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation has been very supportive of Culture Works and the entire Dayton cultural community.  Receiving this funding for a second year speaks greatly to an understanding of the important role that arts and culture plays in both economic development and quality of life in the Dayton region.”

In 2010, Virginia B. Toulmin gave a $26.4 million dollar legacy gift to The Dayton Foundation in her name and that of her late husband, Col. Harry A. Toulmin, Jr.  The gift is the largest single gift since the Foundation’s establishment in 1921.  Mrs. Toulmin had called Dayton home for over 41 years and said that she and her husband had a very happy and successful life here and wanted to give something back.

“Virginia Toulmin loved the performing arts,” said Michael M. Parks, president of The Dayton Foundation. “This grant from The Harry A. Toulmin Jr. and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation is a wonderful way to honor Virginia’s legacy and strengthen the organizations in our community that she cared about so deeply.”

“We are looking forward to a successful 2011-2012 Campaign that will enable us to increase the allocations we provide to Dayton arts organizations,” said Collier. “Culture Works will put every effort forward to meet this challenge and put this grant funding back out into the arts community.”

Culture Works, the arts funding and service agency for the Dayton region, is bringing representatives of AMS Planning and Research to Dayton February 2, 2012, to present the findings of the recently completed cultural market research survey to the community. The goal of the project, facilitated by Culture Works and funded through The Greater Dayton Cultural and Arts Initiative of The Dayton Foundation, was to gather intensive information on cultural participation in the Dayton region to more effectively inform the marketing efforts of local arts organizations.

Steven Wolff, Principal of AMS Planning and Research, and Clint Studinger, Manager and Data Analyst for the project, will present the survey’s findings and answer questions during a community-wide meeting that will take place from 8 to 9:30 am February 2, 2012, at the Loft Theatre.  AMS, a national arts and cultural consulting firm with over 23 years of experience, surveyed arts and cultural participators in the Dayton region, as well as those who do not currently participate.  Based on the findings of this data file analysis, AMS has identified primary and secondary market areas, built a custom profile of the current market geography, and mapped market penetration and market potential based on the profiles of consumers.

“Culture Works is pleased to be able to provide the opportunity for the experts at AMS to come to Dayton to present these findings and explain first-hand how this information can best be utilized by local cultural organizations,” said Martine Meredith Collier, Culture Works president & CEO. “We greatly appreciate the recognition by The Greater Dayton Cultural Arts Initiative of The Dayton Foundation that research of this nature can prove invaluable to organizations as they attempt to reach an expanded audience and patron base.  We hope that a broad representation of organizations and interested individuals will plan to attend.”

The morning’s presentation will also include recognition of recently named 2012 Governor’s Arts Award Winners from the Dayton region, Michael Bashaw and Vectren Energy Delivery, as well as the formal launch of the Culture Works’ 2012 Campaign for the Arts. 

“There is so much to celebrate regarding our local arts and culture as we begin 2012,” said Collier.  “Our hope is that this meeting on February 2^nd will not only be informative, but also create a real sense of excitement about all of the possibilities.”

Admission is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Call 937-222-2787 , or email info@cultureworks.org.

To view the following, click the links below:

Press Release Announcing the Market Research Project  

Dayton Daily News Article – December, 9, 2011

AMS Planning & Research Website

“What do you see?” asks famed modern artist Mark Rothko in the opening line. What critics and audiences see is a masterful work of art about a masterful artist. John Logan’s Red, the 2010 Tony Winner for Best Play was called “intense” and “exciting” by the New York Times, “stunning,” “compel-ling” and “brilliant” by the Chicago Tribune.  A special collaboration with the Dayton Arts Institute can extend the Red experience even further. http://humanracetheatre.org

Join Culture Works as we host representatives of AMS Planning and Research and present  findings from the 2011 Market Research project, celebrate Dayton region 2012 Governor’s Arts Award winners, launch the 2012 Campaign for the Arts, and look to the future.  Open to the community; reservations required.  Call 937-222-2787, or email info@cultureworks.org.

Check back for more information!

Click here to access the arts calendar!