Title: DirectorsReport2009-01-04.doc

 

 

Here's a summary of last year's, 2008, programming in the areas of Exhibits, Education and Events.

 

 

Exhibits:

119 had a total of (12) exhibits including (2) members exhibits, (3) guerilla exhibits and (1) mural -

    Energize!, Alyshia Lein & Walter Wright

    Sensory Memories, Ralph Eaton & Bernie Petruzziello

     expanded sculpture 2, Bebe Beard, Donna Dodson, Vivian Pratt, Alicia Renadette, Andy Zimmermann

    2nd Annual Members Exhibit: A New World, list of artists

    in a state of flux, Currency, +eyeformation+, JollyBoring, Fiske

    Winners of 3rd Annual Juried Exhibit, Alyshia Lien, Dan Rocha, Emile Tobenfeld

    Mural, +eyeformation+

    Mask, Noredin Morgan, Debra Bretton Robinson, Eugene Vining Elementary School

    Friends of Photography

    Zine Art, OUtlET, Jolly Boring, Mike Dailey, +eyeformation+, Gareth Hinds, Gina Kamentsky, Heather Noecker, Hans         Richheit, and Dei Xhrist

    4th Annual Juried Exhibit, open to 119 members, juror Tommey, winner Hyun Ju Kim

 

 

The attendance for exhibits and receptions was (610).

 

 

Education:

119 had (14) classes in networking, circuit building, sound and video art, and dance -

    The Work with Neige Christenson

    Online Communities with Felicia

    Belly Dancing with Rema

    Build Your Own Website with Felicia

    Basic Video with Walter

    Sound Art with Walter

    Sound Improvisation with Vic Rawlings

    Improv Circle with Allyson

    Video Production with Walter

    Sound Looping with Tim Mungenast

    Circuit Building with Jessica Rylan

    Martial Improv with Mike Klinger

 

 

The attendance for the class listed and for Jon Brandi's twice-weekly yoga classes is (760).

 

 

Events:

I have categorized events as follows -

    Local Bands,     (24) with a total attendance of (1115)

    Private Parties, (14) with a total attendance of (850)

    Multimedia,      (30) with a total attendance of (280)

    New Music,       (22) with a total attendance of (245)

    Dance,             (6) with a total attendance of (55)

 

 

Local Bands remain 119's biggest draw. Multimedia and New Music together bring in half as many people. IMHO this isn't bad. The only disappointment being that the quality of the the visiting artists, especially in the new music series, should be appreciated by a larger audience. In 2008, performers in the new music series came from New York, Philadelphia, Canada, France, Germany, and Scandinavia. Multimedia increased attendance this year thanks to Kitty Chick's Flicks monthly film seminar.

 

The attendance for all events was (2545).

 

The total attendance for 2008 is (3915). This is down from the previous year and is approximately 20% shy of our goal for the year, (5000). However, this has been a tough year, for everyone. Attendance took a nosedive, along with economy, beginning in September. Realistically, our total attendance is better than might be expected.

 

 

Moving Forward:

This past year produced a couple of breakthroughs -

 

1) Connecting with younger artists and a young, creative audience. An example is the exhibit, in a state of flux, curated by Setheyny.

2) 119 continues to set the standard for contemporary art, and performance, in Lowell. The fact that have done this consistently for the past three years means, I think, that people are beginning to take us seriously.

3) We have new marketing expertise, an endowment, and have had a couple of successful fundraisers.

4) We have a diverse board that is enthusiastically committed to our mission statement.

5) We are not as dependent on grants as many other non-profits therefore can, instead of cutting back, keep moving forward ...

 

 

With this last thought in mind, I propose one way of moving forward is to reorganize and refocus. Felicia and I have talked a new model for small non-profits that pushes ownership and responsibility down the hierarchy to the members. 119 is not about us, the board and the staff, as it is about them, the members. This allows 119 to continue to run with a small staff and a small budget, making it less dependent on grants and donations. There are a couple of additional considerations that need to be considered -

 

 

1) 119 staff needs to be paid

2) Felicia needs to step down as board chair so she can work on her PhD

3) Walter, as a founder, needs to step back and let others step up ...

 

 

Here's what I have in mind -

 

 

1) Walter & Felicia become board co-chairs

2) Y Sok Woodward becomes the acting executive director

3) Felicia trains Walter to take over as board chair, and Walter trains Y to take over as executive director

4) Mira Allen becomes the assistant director (as well as marketing director)

5) Setheyney Pen becomes the assistant curator

6) Jim Jeffers becomes the education director

7) Everyone gets new business cards

8) Walter continues to booking new music

9) We find a new associate director to book local bands ...

 

 

 

 

 

Walter Wright, Director