December, 2003

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From the newly elected 2004 Alliance Board and Staff:
Patricia Berman * Milton Bloch * Ellen Bütz * Marilynn Donini * Linda Earle
Robert Harris * Betty Himmel * Seymour Knox IV * Janet Langsam
Joseph Maffia * Janet Newcomb * Donald Mawhinney * Hal Payne
Frank Pitts * Raona Roy * Martha Strodel * Kristin Swain * John Thorne
Judith Kaufman Weiner * Amy Wippert

NEWS FROM THE FIELD

JACQUELINE L. GRANT has been named the new Executive Director of the Museum of the Hudson Highlands. She had been the Museum's Director of Development since 2000.

LIZ THOMPSON will be ending her tenure as the Executive Director of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council at the end of the year. Tricia Mire has been designated Acting Executive Director while the Board conducts an Executive Search.

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ALLIANCE GALA

Thanks to all who helped make the celebration at the renowned Tavern on the Green in New York City a grand success. The party was fun and festive with honorees and attendees enjoying a lavish celebration. Accepting their awards for advancing cultural development in New York State were: SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK, GEVA THEATRE CENTER, POLLOCK-KRASNER FOUNDATION INC., RUBY LERNER, RAMON RODRIGUEZ AND SHERRE WESLEY.

A very special thank you to our presenters: Senator Serphin Maltese, Assemblyman Joseph Morelle noted actress Kathleen Chalfant, Chairman Richard J. Schwartz and Executive Director Nicolette Clarke of New York State Council on the Arts and incoming Alliance Board President John Thorne.

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ALLIANCE REPORT CARD

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations believes in an ongoing assessment, taking stock each year of what has been done, given the goals and objectives of our strategic plan, and deciding what needs to be done in the future. These decisions are based on the challenges and opportunities facing our constituencies and stakeholders as they have described them to us through site visits, regional meetings and regular written and telephone communication. The assessment process is accomplished through an annual report, reviews by the Board of Directors, annual written surveys from the field, evaluations of specific programs, and a strategic planning process facilitated by a consultant. This year we again took these assessments and have conveyed them in a REPORT CARD. We welcome your comments

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR: ARTS DAY IN ALBANY IS MARCH 9, 2004

Join your colleagues and celebrities in Albany as we work on behalf of the Arts Budget in New York State. Let's work together to stem the cuts to Arts Funding experienced by our field over the past two years. Bring your community, staffs, artists and board members. Arts Day is a grass roots groundswell of constituents endorsing public funding for the arts in NYS. This year we have reserved "THE WELL" in the legislative office building in Albany and we will be working to enhance Arts Day with attractive performances and exhibits from every corner of the State. DETAILS WILL FOLLOW BY EMAIL.
National Arts Advocacy Day is scheduled for March 29-31 in Washington DC.

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REMINDER...MEMBER SURVEY: PLEASE RETURN BY December 31, 2003

In November we emailed a link to the Annual Member Survey. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to fill it in now. We have designed it to be relatively SHORT and simple to complete. The data informs the field...and enables the Alliance to provide information to members on financial, salary and benefit comparisons. THIS INFORMATION IS AMONGST OUR MOST REQUESTED. We'd like to have 100% participation in completing this survey. Please take a moment to help us reach this goal by December 31, 2003.

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FROM THE UPSTATE OFFICE: MARTHA E. STRODEL, Director Rural Arts Program

This is the time of year when many of you are: winding down a full fall schedule of events; completing your 2003 fiscal year, closely monitoring and rechecking this year's budget against actual income and expenses; finishing up an annual membership or donor drive and scheduling holiday events and fundraisers; planning an annual meeting with election of new board members and officers.

Congratulations to all of the Rurals. In spite of tough financial times, your organizations have survived and many have strengthened through creative action and increased community commitment and involvement. The economic forecast is brighter at this point than anytime in the past two years, but competition for funds has been increasing as well. Success still demands strategic planning and action.

After the intensity of the holiday season, many of you will take needed time for reflection on the "big picture" and begin some serious planning with your boards. The Alliance and Rural Arts Program are here to help: we can answer questions, suggest best practices, design a board tune-up or assist with an outside consultancy to help galvanize positive commitment and action, and keep you informed on issues affecting your community and organization.

Let us know how we can help. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday greetings to all!

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SAVE THE DATE!!! High Touch/High Tech Marketing: Cutting Edge Strategies for Reaching and Keeping Today's Arts Customers. October, 2004

Arts & Business Council Inc. and Arts Reach in association with Arts & Business Council of Chicago, present the 2004 National Arts Marketing Conference October 2 - 5, 2004 Hilton Chicago,
720 So. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.

Remember when the New Economy meant plentiful resources? Not anymore! Today's economy has arts marketers looking to work smarter and use existing resources to the Nth degree to find and capture new paying audiences, all while trying to build loyalty among current audiences. The focus is not on inexpensive and effective marketing tools. The conference will cover everything from sophisticated database analysis to viral marketing to good old-fashioned networking as means of building audiences. The conference begins with a day focused on new techniques for winning sponsorships as corporations tighten their belts, while the next three days drill deeper into High Touch/High Tech marketing techniques.

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations has a 28-year history as New York's primary service association for community based arts and cultural organizations. The Alliance provides leadership and vision, and delivers services, resources and tools that strengthen community cultural organizations. The Alliance monitors, informs and mobilizes the field on statewide and national issues affecting the arts and assists local arts agencies in building community support and developing effective grassroots public policy.

245 Love Lane, P.O. Box 96
Mattituck, NY 11952-0096
Phone (631) 298-1234 / Fax (631) 298-1101