A Publication of the Region 2 Arts Council Vol. 6 No. 1 February, 2002

Guest Commentary

ARTS ADVOCACY DAY
February 19

Now More Important than Ever!

Join arts advocates from every corner of the state at the State Capitol to meet with legislators and talk about the importance of the arts to our state and region. The day begins with a brief advocacy training session. Minnesotans Concerned for the Arts (MCA) will set up appointments for you—you will not be alone; teams are led by someone from the arts community who has participated in Advocacy Day before.

The most important person your legislator can hear from is you!

The Ventura Deficit Reduction Plan
... includes a 10% cut in funding to the Regional Arts Councils. This affects grant funding in your region!
Most of the next legislative session will be dedicated to dealing with the deficit. And while this proposal does not treat the arts much worse than other agencies, it's important to note that this is just the first mile of a very long road, and that it is the legislature that will do most of the driving for the next five months. It is important to get a message to your legislators now.

To register for Arts Advocacy Day, contact MCA at 651/251-0868 or go to <www.mtn.org/mca>. If you can’t attend, consider writing to your legislators. See page 7 for tips.

In this time when we fight for our freedom every day, perhaps we can hearken to the darkest days of the Blitzkrieg, with terrifying bombing raids over London every night, the British Parliament and military leaders met regularly to confer on budget priorities. In light of the desperate state of the country, there was a proposal to drop all national support of the arts. Prime Minister Winston Churchill responded, “Just what do you think it is that we are fighting for?”

Nonprofits Build Strong Communities

by Steve Saari

When I was asked to provide guest commentary for this issue of the Northern Arts News I was somewhat shocked. I rarely express myself at such length that it could qualify as “commentary”—perhaps it is my Finnish heritage. I do hold strong opinions and beliefs but I usually reserve them for discussion with family and friends. So, having prefaced my remarks in this manner, I will say I have a few basic, broad-based beliefs regarding the arts. I believe in support for arts and education and after school enrichment programs, developing arts programming that is accessible to all regardless of age or ability, and acknowledging the powerful impact the arts have on individual lives and the total fabric of a community.

These convictions, simplistic as they may be, are also goals that have been an integral part of my daily work for the past fifteen years of my life in nonprofit arts administration. This places me at a disadvantage because I am too close to the issue to offer any insight that has not already been effectively expressed before in this column. However, I do believe I have had the unique advantage of reaping the benefits of nonprofit art “services” both as provider and recipient.

A question I am often asked is phrased something like, “How do you do all you do?” Upon reflection, I realized what I do is a direct result of my involvement with nonprofit organizations. I am currently Executive Director of the Headwaters School of Music & the Arts, a piano instructor, church musician, actor/director, playwright and a “really-wish-I-had-more-time-for-it” composer. This laundry list doesn’t demonstrate accomplishments as much as it speaks to the path my career has followed.

This path began at a community theatre where I started out as a volunteer actor, director and all-purpose grunt worker. Before long I became box office manager, then administrative associate, then associate director and finally executive director. During this period of time I was also a program associate for a local arts council, a church musician (always, or should I say eternally?), and a composer-in-residence for the state ballet company. Suddenly what I loved to do—act, direct, write plays and musicals, compose—was wedded with the management side of nonprofit arts organizations.

One summer when the theatre was low on funds they needed a royalty-free, low budget comedy. I tried my hand at writing a play and to my surprise it got laughs and the theatre got money! The director of the ballet company, familiar with some of my compositions, came to me with a request for an original story ballet. I wrote a 45-minute ballet and followed it up with a 21-piece dance suite. The fearlessness of youth!

I have happily continued these artistic pursuits and it is all due to my fortuitous relationships with these wonderful nonprofit groups. Now that the majority of my time and attention is devoted to administration, I know more than ever that community support is the most important component of a nonprofit organization’s success. I encourage everyone to support the nonprofit of your choice, either financially or as a volunteer. Only then will you understand the truth in the motto of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: “Nonprofits Build Strong Communities”—and careers!

 

Steve Saari is the executive director of the
Headwaters School of Music and the Arts,
and as noted, an artist in many genres.
Serving Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods & Mahnomen Counties of NorthCentral Minnesota

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