From the Lemonade-Out-of-Lemons Department

One theatre company dies so others may find a spark of life?

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Hotel Obligado Theatre folded earlier this season, but did so with a surplus. That money is now going to be awarded over the next few years to small companies in Philly that develop new work and are part of the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. It's a great story, and an inspiring way to turn bad news into something better.

A New Take on "Social Networking"

San Francisco arts organizations are developing new ways to reach out to the next generation of arts supporters, and it seems to be working.

Case Study: Chalk Rep

Another bright spot!

Playwright Ruth McKee sent me the following info when I put out a general call for reports of what's actually working these days, vis a vis creating art in this economy:

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Here's one for the positive column: I, along with some friends from UCSD, recently started up a new company in the midst of this downturn. It's called Chalk Rep, and the mission to to produce plays in unconventional spaces - not necessarily site-specific work, but plays outside of traditional theatres. We've been able to save tons of money on rent and design, since we're finding spaces that are already inherently interesting, and don't need a big fancy set.

We've produced two shows so far this year, and have two more coming up. We lost a little money on the first show, but the second play broke even, and with any luck the third show will do even better! This is with a small amount of donations and no grant money so far.

You can read more about the company at our site www.chalkrep.com

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It brings to mind the exciting work that Jess Dickey and Morgan Jenness have done with The Amish Project at Rattlestick in terms of thinking outside the standard producing/funding box.

Lots of Recent News Items

There's been a spate of recent news on theatre and the economy -- both positive and negative -- so I'll close some tabs and lay out the updates here.

A piece from the Boston Globe about how theatres are responding to the dark times with lighter fare, hoping to appeal to audiences' desire for respite.

Some bad news from LA on the financial strife facing the Center Theatre Group -- not only have they cut shows, but now they're being forced to cut a tenth of the staff.

A positive take on the theatre scene in San Diego these days, with discussion of small-budget theatres and the flexibility they're finding in response to the economic crisis, as well as an assessment of the larger houses' recent successes.

An interesting piece out of Chicago about the need to take bold risks, even in this economic climate.

Sadly, academia isn't immune from the economy's downward spiral. Washington State University is addressing this by completely axing the department of theatre and dance. 105 students are now out of luck -- and though the article snippet doesn't address this, so too is the university as a whole. What happens when a university sends the signal to its community that the arts are expendable?

In semi-connected news, the Department of Education has announced that arts skills in the nation's youth are "mediocre." Arts in education, anyone? Meanwhile, the NEA's most recent survey of Americans hasn't been released fully yet, but the early results seem to say that while many Americans practice "art" in some way or another, they aren't attending professional art exhibitions, plays, concerts, etc.

Interview with Artist and Craftsman Supply owner

Larry Adlerstein owns and manages 15 Artist and Craftsman supply stores across the country but is based in Portland, ME. He has stores in San Francisco's Bay Area, in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, in Louisville and right up the street from Boston University in Massachusetts. 

I asked him about the state of his sales under the strain of the recession. His answers really surprised me:

He said in the last year and a half his sales are up 9% as an annual percentage. Meanwhile his competitors, Art Mart, Dick Blick, and Pearl are down about 12%.

How is he beating his competitors who are major names in the art supply world?

Well, he says it's all about relationships. Whether it's his relationships with his managers in the various stores or the relationships with each customer, all of these matter more than a couple of cents. He says a store is successful when the employees are happy, and that happiness comes from having ownership. Larry Adlerstein says he gives every manager a lot of responsibilities and room to be creative and make decisions for the store; this way each manager has more invested with the company.

He also explained he has a lot of knowledge of popular brands and colors. I asked him how he  keeps on top of the popular products and how he knows what sells...

He says this job is a lot harder for me than for major companies, because he decides to go to trade shows, looks through trade magazines, and decides to buy from 20 smaller art companies than one huge whole sale companies. By ordering through these 20 small companies he has to fill out 20 different order forms, and keep track of 20 different shipments, and pay 20 different bills, but he says it's all worth it. 

Why so much work? He says it makes his store unique and artists like that. Plus the smaller companies offer their products at a better value. And this way he makes relationships with these small companies and keeps them alive instead of always resorting to the mass whole sale company. This formula for running a business also attracts the artist community, because they would rather support the "little guys" too.

His stores have a great atmosphere as well: each has cement floors with paintings on them and low incandescent light bulbs that are easy on the eyes. The employees are always nice. And I mean that too, because Larry is very involved in hiring and firing. Instead of letting someone else, even a manager deal with a problem, he flies out all over the country to confront the situation head on. 

Dedication to the people is how he keeps up his sales and so far he is battling the bad economy and winning.

Lessons From Mass MOCA and Russia?

A feature from the Boston Globe about the art museum Mass MOCA and how it managed to plan and execute a financial turnaround.  Of interest is the role of the organization in the community.

A piece from the NYT about the Russian city of Perm, and the local government's decision to significantly invest in the arts as a method of civic turnaround.

Funding Bright Spots

Variety talks about the Shubert Foundation and the Tony Randall Foundation, and their new grants ($12.5 mil.) for non-profit theatres.

New much-needed funding in Michigan.

Case Study: The Amish Project

Here's a new fundraising model for you. Jess Dickey -- actor,

writer, creator/performer of the solo show "The Amish Project" -- has gone on an old school barn raising fund drive to get her show into production at the Rattlestick. Over the last year Jess, her director Sarah Cameron Sunde, and agent Morgan Jenness found supportive and interested producers, but the money just wasn't there. So the two of them created a website, and forum for accepting donations, and send out email and facebook status blasts asking for money. Over the past 6 months, the money began to materialize, both in small donations and large gifts. I recall one facebook status update from Morgan that stated if every one of her facebook friends gave $20, the budget for the show would be totally covered. I love this model. The diffuse, small $ donations mean you get many many more people literally and figuratively invested in your project. Give $15-20 to a friend to help with their show, and you're then more likely to make an effort to see the show when it's up and running. I also like the relationship and joint effort that Morgan and Jess utilized to make this happen. Of course, Morgan is known for this kind of personal investment, but I think this model might be where it's at in a more general way. The obstacle to this, of course, is that most agents have such full plates that they can't always dedicate this much time and energy to one client. Even so, I think there's something to be learned here.

Good News in Bay Area

News of Aurora Theatre and SF's EXIT Theatreplex.

TYA Company Leverages Word of Mouth

Childsplay, a company for young audiences based in Tempe, AZ, is utilizing new ways of getting audiences on board and willing to spread the news of upcoming productions.  Especially interesting given that Childsplay was reported to me as being recently hit with furloughs -- hopefully this new strategy will help turn things around.

A New Model for Community Arts Support

From Scottsdale, Arizona, a new take on how to collect and distribute arts funding.

Rocketing Through Hard Times in Austin

A fabulous piece by LMDA's Elizabeth Cobbe about how small companies in and around Austin are using their flexibility to manage the economic crisis to mostly good ends.

Effects in Boston

I will start by saying that I rarely see eye-to-eye with Boston blogger/arts critic/pundit Tom Garvey, but his post, "This Economic Cloud Has a Cultural Silver Lining," begins to articulate something I haven't seen anyone else in Boston engaging in print yet.

Re-imagining Dead Commercial Space

My favorite story from the last year or so comes out of St Louis, where a foundering mall decided to give its empty storefronts (including a large empty anchor store) over to arts groups.  

I'll paste the text of the original announcement from the St Louis Post Dispatch (oddly no longer available in their archives) below.  

Here's a more recent follow-up article, and here's a report from the successful grand opening: in 40 previously vacant retail spots, now there are 21 arts tenants up and running, and 25 more set to open.  Wow.

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AT THE FLAGGING MALL IN CRESTWOOD... 

Plenty of space for the arts Empty shopping areas are transformed in a dream come true for theater groups, artists. 

Judith Newmark; POST-DISPATCH THEATER CRITIC

Edition: Third Edition / Section: News / 12-26-2008 

CRESTWOOD - Erin Kelley and John Contini, actors who have performed on stages all over town, pace off a carpet in front of the dressing rooms in an empty Man Alive clothing store in a struggling mall. 

 

They're figuring out the dimensions of Avalon Theatre's new stage - a prospect that makes Kelley, the troupe's managing artistic director, choke up with joy. After years of performing in a church basement, Avalon is converting the former shop into a theater at ArtSpace, a section of Crestwood Court that's evolving into a new home for more than 50 arts groups. 

Leisa Son, the court's specialty leasing manager, says she knows of nothing like ArtSpace at any other mall in the country. Neither does Jill McGuire, executive director of the Regional Arts Commission. She looks forward to a time early next year when St. Louisans will be able to enjoy a real "New York day" - shopping, a nice meal, a show - in a single place. With lots of parking, no less. 

"The arts have been recognized as an impetus for economic development for about 10 years, in places like Washington Avenue downtown," McGuire said. "But ArtSpace is suburban, and it's enormous. It's a very exciting opportunity to integrate arts into the community." 

Theater companies, dance troupes and visual artists are among the tenants who will share the space in the shopping center, a South County landmark at Watson and Sappington roads. For years, the mall was known as Crestwood Plaza. 

Like many malls, however, Crestwood Plaza has suffered a downturn. Although Macy's and Sears remain, the third anchor, Dillard's, closed its Crestwood store in 2007. Several small shops are gone, too. 

In March, the 51-year-old mall was purchased by Chicago-based Centrum Properties and New York-based Angelo, Gordon & Co. They plan to tear down all or most of it. It will be replaced with a modern open-air lifestyle center featuring shops, restaurants and entertainment. 

But that's at least two years off, maybe five. What to do in the meantime? 

Centrum managing partner Sol Barket, a former St. Louisan, has a long-standing interest in the arts. He suggested turning the Dillard's wing into an art gallery where area painters could display their work. 

 

Running with the idea, Son called Lisette Dennis, RAC's grants and volunteer manager. "I said, 'I have space, lots and lots of space. Do you know any artists who need space?' 

 

"Lisette said, 'Leisa, if this is your idea of a joke, I don't think it's very funny!'" 

 

Things moved fast after that. Last month, RAC sponsored a couple of open houses where arts groups could explore more than 100,000 square feet of empty, but clean and usable, space. Son was astonished by the response. 

 

"I thought we'd get maybe 10 applications," she said. "But about 70 came in immediately, and they are still coming in." 

 

Those that have started to move in include Laumeier Sculpture Park, DaySpring School of the Arts, Jeane Vogel Fine Art, Marble Stage Theatre, the Hangar and the bookstore I Don't Want to Kiss a Llama. 

 

In exchange for the space, the arts groups agree to decorate the shop windows, a convenient way to call attention to their work. They have to pay for utilities, but the rent "is just north of nothing," said Son, in some cases as low as $50 a month. 

 

The former shops may need a little, or a lot, of work. Avalon, one of the first groups to move in, will divide its space into three areas: a lobby, a house with about 100 seats arranged on risers, and a compact arena-style playing area on the floor. Stage lights will hang from the open ceiling; walls will go up on the sides and behind the stage. 

 

In back are the kinds of luxuries that small theaters only dream of: an office, ample work space for building sets and costumes, lots of storage in the loft. There are even fitting rooms where the actors can change into their costumes. Contini, who will direct February's production of "The Subject Was Roses," observed that each actor in the three-character drama will enjoy a private dressing room, like a real star. 

 

"This space allows us to expand," said Avalon producing artistic director Larry Mabrey, who is Kelley's husband. "We can add a fall show, maybe a holiday show. And it gives us a public presence outside of our house." 

 

Each space will be arranged to suit its group's needs. For example, Son expects several dance companies to share one of the big spaces. One painter - who enjoys talking to visitors while he works - plans to turn his space into a studio; another group of artists plans to work elsewhere, but show and sell their paintings in a collective gallery. A fabric artist, a jewelry designer and an organization that recycles industrial materials for school art projects will be ArtSpace neighbors, too. 

 

In time, McGuire hopes some groups will collaborate. Maybe a painter will decorate a stage set, or a dance troupe will perform in one of the theaters. 

 

"Everybody is so busy that we tend to stay in our own little silos," she said. "I am excited about the opportunity here for cross- pollination." 

 

She also sees big potential for arts classes in a mall, where parents can drop children off, then go shopping. "I would have loved that when my kids were little," she sighed. One of the organizations that will offer classes, Laumeier Sculpture Park in nearby Sunset Hills, will expand its educational programs for children and adults once it moves into ArtSpace. Currently it mainly offers classes in warm weather so they can meet outdoors, where there's room. 

 

"We think that ArtSpace will broaden our audience," said Laumeier's communications director, Mike Venso. "Some people come to the park just to walk their dogs, but while they're here they get to enjoy great sculpture. We think the same thing will happen with mall walkers and shoppers. 

 

"This is smart for everybody. It will be good for the arts groups, and it will rekindle the mall space." 

 

Son shares Venso's optimism. 

"Anything that entertains my shoppers is great," she said. By the same token, she figures that anyone who goes to an art opening or to see a play or to take a sculpture class is apt to buy at least a cup of coffee. Or maybe a pair of earrings, or a sweater. Or a dishwasher. You never know. 

 

She figures that by February, when everyone has moved in, the buzz will be irresistible. 

 

"You'll feel this whole area come alive," she predicted. "This is a win-win for everybody." 

 

(Copyright (c) 2008 The Post-Dispatch)