The Back Track to Art

Today is essentially the end of my eighth month as director of the Northfield Arts Guild. It’s been, at times, an enjoyable ride; it’s also been hectic and draining and all the things you’d expect in an organization that does so much for so many people on such a tight shoestring.

I wrote about some of this activity in this week’s Progress section of the Northfield News: “It is through the Arts Guild that this community often shines and creates great beauty,” I wrote. “Visual art on display and for sale, fabulous symphonic music, wonderful dance programs, arts festivals and so much more!”

But I also wrote about how important it is for everyone in the community not to take this activity for granted, and to support it in practical ways: “…though the Northfield Arts Guild is not in danger of being overrun by revolutionaries any time soon, it is still vulnerable to the ravages of time and neglect. The Guild suffers when the community overlooks the arts and underrates what the arts can do through us. The arts suffer when people, institutions, businesses, organizations, and the government forget to support it in practical and tangible ways: through membership, donations, volunteer service, and so on.”

To be more explicit about this last point, you should know that the Northfield Arts Guild is struggling to continue providing all that it does for this community. Much of the reason for this is because, in addition to the organization’s chronic budget shortages, the Guild has taken a double funding hit in the past eight months.

First, this summer the State Arts Board cut its biennial funding for the Guild in half–giving us an additional budget-hole to fill on top of the traditional deficit. Among the reasons cited by Arts Board panelists for the cuts: A concern over our chronic budget woes; a concern over the lack of local city/government support of the arts; and a concern over the very breadth of programs offered by the Guild (that they suspect scatter our attentions and reduce our viability).

In addition to this cut in governmental support, the Guild has also seen, after nearly four hard months of work by me and numerous volunteers, a 50% reduction this year in financial support of the Arts Guild. The most often cited reason for this is business-owner concern over current economic conditions. Businesses who have long been supporters of the Guild have unceremoniously let their sponsorships and other forms of support lapse.

They tell you in arts management text books that these sorts of hits to arts organizations–shocking as they may be to the organization and its membership, and damaging as they can be to programs (that may need to be cut)–are to be expected. Business and governmental funding (when it even exists) can be prone to cyclical ups and downs–causing disruption to organizations and hard decisions about what programs and offerings to cut.

The key to weathering such ups and downs, say the experts, is to foster a dedicated and stable pool of individual and family supporters–people who will make sure that cuts by institutional funders can be endured, and who will rise to the occasion when an organization has need.

Well, supporters of the arts in Northfield, I’m here to tell you, your Northfield Arts Guild has need. If you ever had a reason to step in and lend your energy to helping the arts survive here in Northfield, this is it.

We welcome support and involvement from any and all lovers of the arts.

Last week, I was visiting Tom Proehl, the director of the State Arts Board, on Guild-related business. (More on this visit will be discussed in future posts.)

On the round coffee table next to his desk, I noticed a copy of a study about rural arts involvement published by the Montana Arts Council. I glanced at it quickly while Tom went to get coffee, but I became intrigued enough by the publication to later contact the Council and request a copy. And they actually sent me three publications: Building Arts Participation in Rural America: Learning to Increase Participation and the Return on Investment, Fundraising Ideas That Work in Rural America, and Building Arts Participation in Rural America: Learning from Montana’s Arts Organizations.

Now, I realize that Montana and Minnesota are completely different states, with unique demographics, political situations, social makeups, and cultural traditions. But already, in just skimming the first book (the one I’d seen at the Arts Board), I’ve learning something important.

It is this, from page 48: “Buy-in and community involvement (in rural arts organizations) come in response to concerted efforts to serve a target market.”

In other words, give the people you serve what they want above all else and you will be more successful.

A beautifully simple idea, and one that matches some changes that I’ve thought necessary in the Guild’s institutional philosophy: that we need to be less of a top-down programmer of the arts, but more of a service to a community hungry to develop arts programming that matches their needs.

More to come on these changes at the Guild, as well as regarding these studies of rural arts participation.

As many of you are aware, Northfield’s Laura Baker Services has for over a century helped people with developmental disabilities reach their potential. Laura Baker’s annual fundraising gala, held this year on October 13, features silent and live auctions. They are currently seeking donations, including works of art in any shape or form.

If you or an artist you know wishes to donate an item or service, please contact Gail Jones Hansen at writes(at)charter(dot)net (or at 645-1666) with a description of the item and, if possible, its estimated value. She’s willing to pick up your item, or you can deliver it directly to Laura Baker at 211 Oak Street.

Please consider donating, as this is one great cause! Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law.

OK, so that’s probably not a very historically accurate quote. But I’m sure it’s what Jesse James would yell today if he were to come to Northfield while the festival named after him was going on.

That’s because I’m guessing Jesse James  probably wouldn’t much care to watch a reenactment of his defeat. Nor would he likely care much for Dippin’ Dots and deepfried brats. If Jesse James came to town today he’d probably pass his time looking at the lovely arts and crafts items on display down by the Cannon River at the Riverfront Fine Arts and Crafts Festival.

This Festival, a tradition in Northfield for more 40 years, will be held rain or shine, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, September 8 & 9, 2007.

More than 75 artists and fine craft artisans will show their work on the stone walkways hugging both sides of the Cannon River. Find wonderful photography, pottery, paintings, fiber art, jewelry and more by artists from all over Minnesota and the region.

“Get yourself down to the river!”

I’m going to date myself here, but the NAG Theater reminds me (and I mean this in the best possible way) of Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Stymie, Buckwheat, Porky, Froggy, Butch and all the other youthful members of the Our Gang/Little Rascals series of shorts from the 1930s.

Whenever the gang confronted a seemingly insurmountable problem (”You mean you lost all of the gang’s money?” “Gosh, how can we help pop save his farm?”), someone would eventually come up with a resolution by saying: “I know. Hey gang, let’s put on a show!” We would then be treated to a long variety show– with Alfalfa, the consummate artiste, croaking Barber of Seville, Spanky mimicking Cab Calloway, Darla crooning “Head Over Heals in Love Again,” and the whole gang singing “Old Brown Jug.”

Why does this remind me of the NAG Theater? You ask.

Well, between you and me, this little gang called the Northfield Arts Guild sure has seen it’s share of troubles of late (”you mean you’re cutting our funding in half?” “you mean you really can’t renew your long-standing sponsorship of this essential program?”). But ever-enterprising, the NAG Theater committee has responded yet again by saying, you guessed it, “Hey gang, let’s put on a show!” (Namely “Jesse Jane’s Jamboree II: Kitten Kaboodle,” a fundraiser to benefit your Northfield Arts Guild.)

This rollickin’, roilin’, downright rivetin’ variety show was written by Northfield playwright Brendon Etter, directed by our own Rachel Haider, and it involves a host of local technical and performing talent all intent on helping the Guild!

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 6 - 8 at 7:30 pm, with an additional show at 5:00 pm on Saturday. Tickets are only $8.00 and are available by calling 507-645-8877 or online at the NAG website.

Hope to see you there!