Arts Funding

The media is a buzz with the Mayors new budget. There are a lot of small arts groups that got completly left out and people are more than pissed. I don't blame them either. The Leo article talked about the Juneteenth festival that has been relevantly bringing African American issues to the stage for 9 years. They went from $15,000 to ZERO in no time flat.

Some of these groups are taking it upon themselves to raise the money needed. Louisville Music News's Paul Moffit says in his blog that John Gage of Kentucky Homefront is having a fund raiser on July 25 & 26 at Iroquois Amphitheater.

The Louisville Orchestra and the Fund for the Arts is consistently Mentioned in all of these articles as they both received the lions share of the funds. None of the articles suggested that this was inappropriate accept perhaps a slight slant with Moffits blog suggesting the LO ticket sales were SO good that the LO didn't need or deserve this money. Interesting... I wonder if he has tapped the box office computers? Obviously not, if he is suggesting that ticket sales actually fund any of the arts groups. In for-profit endeavors that may be the case, but with orchestra and opera, ticket sales only account for 1/3 of the budget income.

I applaud John Gage for taking control of the situation. Go to the event, and support Kentucky Homefront!!

Here are some of the articles:
Courier Journal
Business First
PRWeb Release

Video Games Live!

Here is a great review from the Video Games Live performance in Toronto.

The Louisville Orchestra will be putting this show on at the Kentucky Center on July 18. W00tz! will be doing some pre-concert events with costume contests and video games in the lobby. Super fun.

The ladies at Secret Life of Girl Gamers will be doing a podcast interview soon. I will let you know when its up and running.

Get your sneak peek here!

I have decided I dislike agents as much as social media folks dislike PR people.

I'm Back

Spent the weekend in VA. It was lovely and remote. No cell service, no wireless internet access, just expansive vistas of the Shenandoah Valley and lovely food with lovely people.

It's a Quiz!!

I just got a great idea from parterre box, It's like a contest of sorts, but I don't know what you will win yet. Posted here are two images from a previous Kentucky Opera production. All you have to do is guess which production. If you want extra credit, when did KYO produce it, and who is shown.



Post your answers in the comments and the first correct answer, I will figure out what you win!
Yeah! I love a QUIZ!

National Performing Arts Convention

I am at the National Performing Arts Convention in Colorado. The session I tried to get in, the results of the MET Broadcast surveys, was so full they wouldn't let us in. Alas.

Its been going pretty well. A lot of discussion about new media. I have been asking every blogger I meet if they twitter, digg, stumble upon etc. and basically its a big fat doughnut. Some bloggers look at me as if I just landed from a UFO.

When I have a bit more time I will detail my sessions.
Right now, I will forge for food.

Fringe Festivals

Has anyone ever heard of a fringe festival? Has anyone ever been to one? Apparently Louisville is in dire need of one.

Check out these links if you (like me) have never heard of this.

http://www.fringenyc.org/

New Opera Reviewers

Apparently Opera North (thats in the UK not in Phili) is doing a wonderful job at pulling in new audiences. Their recent Macbeth was reviewed twice today by seemingly new opera goers.

Gripped by First Opera - Evening Chronicle

Opera Was No Tragedy - Journal Live

I hope that Kentucky Opera's upcoming Otello will fair as well.

Blogging problems

I am totally new at this and I am having some major questions about Feed Burners and RSS feeds. I look at some blogs like Jason Falls' and am in awe of all the "Stuff" on his page. For Example, his FIND ME HERE section

What the F is all that and how do I use it?
Then (same example) he's got his twitter messages on his site. Then he has the RSS Feed link at the top as a very cool talk bubble with the RSS logo, I can't seem to figure out how to add any of that. Of course he is in the biz, and I am a complete idiot on these things. I am learning (I hope).
Twitter is one of those things that totally confounds me. I sat at the Social Media Club meeting last month and every one was a twitter with Twitter. I signed up for Twitter and have no idea how or why to use it. I am also a new member of Digg what ever that is and am seriously thinking aobut del.icio.us because I like the sound of it, but I don't think I should spread myself too thin at this stage of the game. Then there is Techtori, who knows what that is and I did stumble upon StumbleUpon, Anyone? anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I will say that I am Linkedin, MySpace is ignored, and my Facebook is embarrassing.

Any one who wants to tutor me, I am all for it.

I also found on DavidSFinch's site, a cute video on Social Media from the good people from The Common Craft.
Enjoy.

Opera Star

Here is a sweet story. Brittan's version of American Idol has found another opera star. This time its a 12 year old girl. Hear her sing here.