The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes

Presentation to the Steuben County Legislature

Agriculture, Industry and Planning CommitteeMarch 5, 2014

Mission

The mission of The ARTS Council of the

Southern Finger Lakes (The ARTS Council) is to

enhance the cultural arts in the communities

we serve by acting as an advocate and catalyst

to increase participation, advance collaboration

and optimize resources.

Board of Directors - Officers

Kamala Keeley President

Steve Kettelle Vice President

Vishoka Balasubramanian Secretary

Jane Garnett Treasurer

Brad Turner Immediate Past President

Staff

Ginnie Lupi Executive Director

Connie Sullivan-Blum Folk Arts Coordinator

Tamar Samuel-Siegel Special Projects Coordinator

Chris Walters Grants Manager

Laura Charles Development Assistant

Programs and Services

Individual Artists

Arts and Cultural Organizations

Folk Arts

Grantmaking

Build and strengthen relationships between artists and art/cultural organizations and schools, and increase awareness of the importance of arts education

Serve the community by increasing awareness of and access to arts and cultural activities of all kinds

Individual Artists

Individual Artists

Individual Artists

Arts and Cultural Organizations

Folk Arts

Grantmaking

Decentralization supports community arts programs, individual artist projects and arts in education programs in Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung and Tioga counties (NYSCA funded)

QuickARTS funds community arts projects and individual artists in Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties, with funding from the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes

Electronic Media & Film supports artists for the completion (post-production) of film, video, sound, new media and Web-based art, and non-profit organizations for in-person appearances by independent artists working in moving image media and sound art, including video, digital and computer-based works. (Statewide - NYSCA funded)

Grantmaking

Arts in Education

Community Service

Community Service

Business Plan

Findings from the board and staff retreat and internal analysis coupled with external analyses were the basis for the five interrelated goals listed below:

1.Establish Diverse and Reliable Sources of Revenue

1.Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Marketing Communications Plan

1.Maintain and Improve Services, Support and Advocacy for Communities

1.Increase Board Engagement and Development

1.Create Succession Planning Procedures

Business Plan

Establish Diverse and Reliable Sources of Revenue

In 2012, The ARTS Council held the first Recycled Runway, a very successful fundraising event. The success was repeated in 2013 and we are currently planning this year’s event, to be held at 171 Cedar Arts Center on June 7.

Focus is also on major and corporate donor cultivation, ongoing grant research, and exploration of earned income opportunities.

Business Plan

Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Marketing Communications Plan

Re-branding with new inspire and square logos has been completed. Marketing consultant has been engaged (with small NYSCA grant from CNY Arts) to assist in plan development.

Maintain and Improve Services, Support and Advocacy for Communities

Service delivery continues to be outstanding and staff team actively exploring improvements. mobileARTS has been particularly effective in reaching artists and organizations throughout the service area. Move to 79 West Market Street is already enhancing service delivery.

Business Plan

Increase Board Engagement and Development

Intentional recruitment has resulted in a significant, positive change in Board engagement. The Board Development Committee is currently reviewing all Board materials and policies.

Board Development, Fund Development, Marketing, and Finance committees meet regularly.

Create Succession Planning Procedures

A succession plan has been established for the Executive Director position and Board officer succession procedures are being reviewed by the Board Development Committee.

79 West Market Street

79 West Market Street

79 West Market Street

The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes

Q & A

History 1972 - 1981

Founded in 1972 as the Chemung Valley Arts Council, housed at 171 Cedar Arts Center.

Corning’s cultural festival, Soundings 1972, was the organization’s debut. The all day, all evening outdoor downtown street festival involved artists, musicians, dancers, actors, about 20 service groups, local businesses and downtown merchants.

Received initial funding from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) in 1972 for orchestral production and flood-related support to affected arts groups.

The ARTS Council’s ongoing arts calendar effort began in 1974 with a printed, bi-weekly calendar of events.

Became a NYSCA Decentralization regrant test site in 1977, making grants for community-based arts activities in Tioga, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Allegany and Cattaraugus counties.

In 1980, partnered with Taylor Wine Company on Taylor Vintage Summer of Song, attracting over 30,000 people to six State parks in the Finger Lakes region.

By 1981, The ARTS Council had 40 member organizations and provided services including a calendar, newsletter, weekly art news updates, computer access, technical assistance, and other community resources.

History 1983 - 1989

1983 was the first year of the organization’s Folk Arts program, studying folklore and folklife activities in Schuyler County.

In 1985, the Corning Crafts Project implemented (in collaboration with Corning Glass Works) a program through which individual artists could obtain low interest loans in exchange for their establishing an "open studio" and shop on Market Street. A quarterly publication, ARTSCOPE, was launched, and monthly calendar of events mailed to over 500 addresses.

In 1986, the organization received funds from NYSCA for planning and development of arts education programs in Steuben and Chemung counties. Also, The ARTS Council hired its first folklorist, with support from NYSCA.

In the late 1980s, The ARTS Council opened a second office, on Gray Street in Elmira, made its first ARTS Partnership Awards, was honored by the President’s Committee on the Arts for the Corning Crafts Project, and hosted the late Tom Buechner as keynote speaker at the 1987 Annual Meeting.

History 1990 - 2000

Despite State budget cuts in the early 1990s, The ARTS Council added Tompkins County to the Decentralization program, and held the first Old Time Fiddlers’ Gathering at Watkins Glen State Park. The organization also closed its Elmira office and moved its main office to the basement of the Baron Steuben building in Corning.

The ARTS Council moved to the first floor of the Baron Steuben in 1994, creating an arts information and box office service for regional arts events, and in 1995 added a toll-free ARTSLine to provide community event information.

In 1996, the organization offered arts groups a guide for self promotion through its Marketing Assistance Program, and provided seminars and workshops to build skills and share information and resources. Also in 1996, THINK with the Arts campaign was launched to increase public awareness of arts in education.

The ARTS Council moved to the second floor of 52 East Market Street in the late 90s.

The late 90s saw development of the Canvases … Just Down the Road, funded by NYSCA, the NEA, and local businesses. The project debuted in 2000 and featured regional artists’ work reproduced on billboards throughout the region.

History 2001 - 2007

In 2002, The ARTS Council moved to 32 West Market Street, Corning. The storefront space featured a gallery for member artwork and increased the visibility of the organization significantly.

Also in 2002, The ARTS Council held its first ARTS Connections Institute. Funded by NYSCA, the program brought regional educators and artists together to discuss best practices in integrating the arts into academics. The annual program ran until 2007.

2002 – 2005 saw expansion of NYSCA-supported grantmaking for community and school-based arts programming, lots of activity in the gallery, and development of a new website design for www.eARTS.org. In 2005, the organization began using a dba and marketed itself as The ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes.

National Youth Art Month debuted in 2005, exhibiting over 700 pieces of student artwork in businesses throughout Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties. The annual event has grown considerably; the 2013 celebration featured over 1,280 pieces of artwork exhibited in 46 businesses region-wide.

The ARTS Council’s weekly e-newsletter, Arts & Culture: What’s going on? launched in 2007, after several months as a monthly e-publication. The newsletter’s impact was immediate and significant: within six months, artist membership increased 600%, and cultural partnerships increased 300%.

History 2007 - 2008

In 2007, as The ARTS Council celebrated its 35th Anniversary, it assumed management of a gallery space in the lobby of the newly-renovated Palace Theatre in Corning.

In 2008 changed its legal name from Chemung Valley Arts Council (dba/The ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes) to The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

Also in 2008, The ARTS Council initiated a Cultural Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts project to assist cultural partner organizations, and coordinated an eight-county regional arts and economic development summit as part of NYSCA’s Cultural Blueprints initiative. Both projects were funded by NYSCA with one-time grants.

Also in 2008, The ARTS Council assumed management of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Strategic Opportunity Stipends grant program for individual artists in a 6-county region.

The QuickARTS: Community Arts Money in a Jiffy! grant program, a partnership with the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, was initiated in 2008.

History 2009 - 2010

In 2009, The ARTS Council assisted a group of young international artists in mounting How is This Glass?, a 4-venue exhibit in vacant storefronts on Market Street in Corning, held during the Glass Art Society Annual Meeting.

Also in 2009, the organization collaborated with the Community Foundation to bring StoryCorps to the region to record stories about the Hurricane Agnes flood of 1972.

Due to changes in management at the Palace Theatre in 2009, The ARTS Council moved its additional gallery space to 38 West Market Street, donated by Andy Sprague. The space was utilized through the end of the year.

In 2010, The ARTS Council began working with WSKG-TV on a documentary about the Hurricane Agnes flood, and created a toll-free telephone service to record additional stories.

Also in 2010, The ARTS Council received a grant from the Schuyler County Tourism Promotion Agency to market the 21st annual Fiddlers’ Gathering. The funding supported brochure printing and distribution, extensive print advertising, and a new web page, and resulted in a 250% increase in attendance.

History 2010 - 2011

Late in 2010, The ARTS Council was given a grant from the Corning Incorporated Foundation to hire consultants to assist the organization in development of a business plan. ARTISIN, LLC was engaged in 2011.

In 2011, The ARTS Council, in collaboration with Southern Tier Economic Growth and with a grant from the Community Foundation, held its first Business of Art workshop series. Ten workshops were held from February - June and 26 artists participated.

Also in 2011, The ARTS Council hosted regional State Legislative representatives and cultural partner organizations for a discussion about proposed cuts to the New York State Council on the Arts.

In 2011, The ARTS Council again received a grant from the Schuyler County Tourism Promotion agency to assist with marketing the annual Fiddlers’ Gathering. This year, the Gathering moved to Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen.

At the end of 2011, The ARTS Council hired a half-time Development Officer.

The ARTS Council assumed management of two statewide NYSCA grant programs in electronic media & film in 2011 – Presentation Funds and Finishing Funds.

History 2012

In 2012, the organization began working with a group of volunteers to plan Arts in Bloom, the Steuben County Arts Trail. The event was held April 27 & 28, 2013 and was very successful.

In 2012, ARTISIN, LLC delivered a completed business plan to The ARTS Council. After thorough review by Board and staff, the organization’s Marketing committee was charged with development of a marketing plan based on ARTISIN’s report. Using funds from a NYSCA grant awarded by CNY Arts, Meghan Parsons was engaged to assist in the process.

Also in 2012, The ARTS Council held its first Recycled Runway fundraising event.

In 2012, The ARTS Council again received a grant from the Schuyler County Tourism Promotion agency to assist with marketing the annual Fiddlers’ Gathering, held at Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen.

The organization inaugurated mobileARTS in 2012. A variation on regional office hours, ARTS Council staff rotate monthly through the 4-county service area, visiting artists and organizations.

History 2013

In March 2013, The ARTS Council, in collaboration with Southern Tier Economic Growth and with a grant from the Community Foundation, held the second Business of Art workshop series. 20 artists participated in the weekend workshops.

In 2013, The ARTS Council, in partnership with the Community Foundation, expanded the QuickARTS grant program to include a separate grant for artist opportunities, similar to the defunct NYFA SOS program. The program is titled QuickARTS: GO!

The second Recycled Runway fundraiser was held in early May 2013 and was completely sold out.

Also in 2013, The ARTS Council signed a 10-year lease on 79 West Market Street in Corning. The organization moved on July 15 and opened its new Gallery in August.