This week has been a downer for the arts — we’ve seemingly lost two orchestras and one summer music festival, all due to troubled economics.  But not allthe news is bad news — so let’s end the week with a ray of sunshine from one of Robert Swaney Consulting’s clients.  Yesterday, the Atlanta Chamber Players published the following message:

Atlanta Chamber Players awarded
  two significant national grants! 

The Atlanta Chamber Players are proud to announce that we
have been awarded two national grants, from:

The Bay & Paul Foundations,
an independent private foundation supporting
 the arts in education, located in New York City
 for the support of Rapido!® A 14-Day Composition Contest
and ACP’s commission of a work by Michael Gandolfi

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA),
American Masterpieces, Chamber Music
for support of ACP’s concert and educational
 performances of music by American composers

In 2009, with inspiration and support from the Antinori Foundation, ACP launched the first year of Rapido!® A 14-Day Composition Contest, reaching out to faculty and students at 150 colleges and universities in the Southeast to invite participation in the contest. Almost 40 entries from 11 southeastern states competed for a cash commission to compose a new work for the ACP. The four finalist compositions were debuted in a concert and the winner, Jon Jeffrey Grier, faculty at the Greenville Fine Arts Center, a magnet high school of the arts in Greenville, SC, was chosen to write a complete work for the group.  

This year, with a matching challenge grant from The Antinori Foundation, and building on the first year’s successful Rapido!®, ACP will repeat the contest in the southeast US and add two other regions (New England and Midwest) concluding with a national finals concert in Atlanta. With this expansion, ACP will take a leading position in promoting innovative chamber compositions by American composers of all ages.

As one of the highlights of the 35th season, ACP will once again debut a work composed specifically for the ACP. Michael Gandolfi (of Robert Spano’s Atlanta School of Composers) is writing a new quintet commissioned by the ACP. Works by other contemporary American composers will be performed and showcased in concerts and educational settings through the 35th season as well.

www.atlantachamberplayers.com

Congratulations to The Atlanta Chamber Players!  And for everyone else — there are still grants like this to be found out there, corporate support is bouncing back in many markets and individual giving continues to regain its traction.  As most of you are entering into the final quarter of your fiscal year, stay focused, rally your board members and volunteers, go back to some of those people / organizations who may have turned you down last fall and don’t forget to check the couch for lost change.

In short, there are some very encouraging signs out there, despite some unfortunate news this week.  So, no matter how your fundraising program is working, just keep moving forward!

–RSC

I know that many who follow this blog know and admire Elizabeth Hurley’s contribution to the fields of arts administration and fund development.  Therefore, I thought I would share the great news that she has recently been named the new Executive Director for the Grant Park Music Festival.  Click here to read more details.  Congratulations, Elizabeth!

 –RSC

Another great Indiana-based arts organization with a meaningful national impact…please pass this along to others who might be interested.  Thanks!

–RSC

Executive Vice President

The Michael Feinstein Foundation

www.michaelfeinsteinfoundation.org

The Michael Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook is accelerating its many programs.  We need an experienced leader to successfully seek and secure funding, prepare grants, and organize small to large events.  You’ll meet with interested Foundations and individuals to develop meaningful relationships and synergies; and move our educational initiatives forward to bring this music to young people today and preserve it for future generations.  You will work directly with our Executive Director, Chairman of the Board and with Michael Feinstein.  If you love this music, have proven leadership skills and are committed to hard work and getting positive results, please contact dasadler@michaelfeinsteinfoundation.org .  Location based on candidate, flexible.  Position requires travel.

For those of you who think RSC is becoming a job site — not so — just helping “spread the word” on behalf of some colleagues in need.

The Indianapolis Opera is another valued local organization that is looking for its next Chief Development Officer. Please review and forward any interested / qualified candidate names to johnp@indyopera.org . Click here o visit the Indianapolis Opera Website. You can share this posting with others by clicking the “share this” button below. Thank you!

Vice President of Advancement, Indianapolis Opera –

The V.P. of Advancement is the primary leader in developing contributed income and planned gifts for Indianapolis Opera. Responsibilities include growing corporate and individual gifts, implementing a planned giving program, providing strategic leadership to staff (including the CEO) for all development programs – annual fund, foundation and government funding proposals, special events and major gifts. Must be an experienced professional who will fit the Opera culture, have a documented record of fundraising success, have experience working with boards and volunteers, budget management and donor management databases. Requires 10+ years experience as a senior manager in a not-for-profit and/or arts organization. Send a cover letter and resume to John C. Pickett, Executive Director at johnp@indyopera.org.