City pledges $50,000 to help match arts grant
Find out more about the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, www.gddf.org.
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Board, musicians face difficult path to survival, published 11/21/08
The Charleston City Council voted Tuesday to contribute $50,000 from the city's hospitality fee fund to partially match an expected $250,000 grant from a private foundation that would aid the cash-strapped Charleston Stage, Charleston Symphony Orchestra and Charleston Ballet Theatre.
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley said The Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation is considering making the quarter-million-dollar grant, and an equal amount would have to be raised in matching funds. He said the grant would be administered by the Coastal Community Foundation.
The 72-year-old Charleston Symphony Orchestra is the largest performing arts organization in the state, with a $2.9 million annual budget. But it is facing a $1 million deficit and has warned that bankruptcy is an option. The CSO is pursuing donations, and is attempting to renegotiate a contract with its musicians' union, Local 502 of the American Federation of Musicians.
On Nov. 15, during intermission at a concert, CSO board President Ted Legasey told audience members they could be attending the final CSO concert of 2008 unless the group raises $250,000 immediately to pay for the month of December.
At Charleston Stage, founder and artistic director Julian Wiles has said the group is facing "life-threatening challenges," with fundraising efforts running $200,000 below last year.
Charleston Ballet Theatre cut one full-time dancer position this season and ticket sales are down 20 percent from last season. The organization, with a budget of slightly more than $1 million, ended its year with a deficit.
The CSO, Charleston Stage and Charleston Ballet Theatre were chosen weeks ago by the city's Office of Cultural Affairs to participate in a coordinated holiday fundraising campaign with the Coastal Community Foundation's assistance, a decision that angered some performing arts groups not included in the initiative.
Ellen Dressler Moryl, director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, went with representatives of the three groups to a series of meeting with the Coastal Community Foundation, which agreed to apply for the Donnelley Foundation grant.
"I didn't know other groups were also in financial difficulty, and I certainly didn't mean to leave anyone out," Moryl told The Post and Courier last week.
The League of Charleston Theatres, which represents nine local theaters in the Charleston area, has expressed concern that other struggling arts organizations were left out of the effort, and that the League was not invited to any of the meetings.
The Village Playhouse, Pure Theater, Footlight Players, and other companies have reported ticket sales are off anywhere from 10 to 30 percent this year.
The League of Charleston Theatres did receive a 2008 grant for $105,000 from the Donnelley Foundation, according to the foundation's Web site. Charleston Stage received an $80,000 grant, and other arts organizations in the area received smaller grants.
The foundation has offices in Chicago and Murrells Inlet, and a mission of supporting land conservation and artistic vitality for communities in the Chicago region and the Lowcountry.
Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 26 comment(s)
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 6:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm confused. From the article entitled "Charleston to dip in to reserve funds": Charleston plans to dip into its fund balance for more than $2 million, trim expenses, and give no raises to its higher-paid employees in 2009 in order to deal with what's expected to be the city's first drop in revenue in decades.
The city can't meet its own budget, can't keep employee pay on track with the cost of living increase, can't fix roads, fix schools, fix crime... but it can support the tuba player. Odd sense of priorities. Maybe odd is not the correct word. More likely clueless is the correct word...
I guess if you don’t get shot on the way to a CSO concert, and your car doesn’t fall apart from the road conditions on the way to a CSO concert, you might be able to enjoy some good music.
Posted by theronce on November 26, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is city government payback for votes to a wing of their supporters last election. Don't you know that the hoity-toity justify this with both their higher taxes and campaign contributions. I enjoy all of those same things, but I do not often contribute (& never would to that bunch)to campaigns. My taxes are too high, for me, too at my station, but I do not think that this is a good use of tax money.
Posted by SimplyMad on November 26, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a waste of money. Tossed away for some feel good crap.
This was done without even asking the taxpayer if they want to support this.
The high and mighty, with tons of money always get the taxpayer to foot the bill for useless programs, and crap like this.
Posted by SimplyMad on November 26, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Holy Crap! I agree with JimIslander! This is the season of miracles!
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Webb Center falls to budget cuts to keep Coastal Center open
The state Department of Disabilities and Special Needs axed five child day-care programs, including the Webb Center in Charleston, to keep the Coastal Center in Ladson and other residential facilities off the chopping block, a department spokeswoman said Friday.
"Most of them have severe mental retardation. Where would they go if there is no Coastal Center?" said Lois Park Mole, the agency's director of government and community relations.
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/nov/...
Posted by islandbenzbc on November 26, 2008 at 8:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
JimIslander: That may well be the only post of yours that I will ever agree with...well said!
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Speaking of the Webb Center, I asked a question in the article yesterday and in another one the previous day, and still haven't been given an answer. The Webb Center is a day care facility for special needs children. My question is: How much do the parents have to pay to have a child go to this day care facility?
Regardless of that answer, I agree that the Webb Center would have been a MUCH more appropriate use of funds than the tuba player.
Posted by konphidence on November 26, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
coldbud, you literally took my thought out of my tiny brain. I agree......
Posted by dawhetsell on November 26, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with everyone ,that the Charleston City Council has lost their mind. You people voted for them and now they going to showw you the TAXPAYER how dumb you are for voting them back in office. I guess thats part of the program to spread the wealth. I guess the City thinks that the TUBA player needs a job just as much as the Webb center needs funds.
Posted by msplacedinsc on November 26, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since my family and I don't live in the city limits of Charleston and the only service we would use would be cities streets, I don't give a rats-booty that Joe is using money from the hospitality fund? I wonder where the majority of the posters above live?
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
msplacedinsc, I don't live in Charleston either. That doesn't make this decision any smarter. You do realize, don't you, that the way the city spends it's money does have an affect on all of us living in the low country. Hell, it has an affect on everyone living in SC and paying SC State tax.
Posted by theronce on November 26, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm with you, too, JimIslander, on this one.
Posted by msplacedinsc on November 26, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
CB,
I'm not sure but how will $50k out of the City of Charleston own hotel/motel fund that will go the local Symphony here will affect the good folks in the City of Easley in Pickens County, SC?
Posted by map06 on November 26, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
useful postings. mass quantities of literary diarrhea for composting.
Posted by outrage on November 26, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just like the NEA, using taxpayer money to culture its people.
If you have a product that no one wants to buy then you go out of business. The government would not bail you out if your widget did not sell, yet if it is condidered art, maybe you can get a grant(taxpayer money).
Question - Is the Chas. Co. council still giving $200,000 to their favorite charities? I am Curious.
Posted by focus on November 26, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/aug/...
Posted by chaswaves on November 26, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
outrage, I couldn't agree with you more. You can't manage your money well or you don't have a product people want you go out of money. Do you see the businesses who have gone out of business in the last 45 days crying and begging for money on the front page of the paper? NO! Because they have a clue and understand how the economy works. Not one member of the symphony has even acknowledged that the economy is just struggling. It is ALL over. Not just with them. Open your eyes and stop being selfish. My friends are losing their jobs due to company cut backs (sounds like something these organizations might want to consider). Sorry if they can't afford symphony tickets right now or that is the last thing on their mind.
Posted by outrage on November 26, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Focus - Are you saying there is a conflict of interest?
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
msplacedinsc, the city receives it's funding from many sources. When they abuse the funding in a manner such as this, funding from other sources has to take up the slack. Your state taxes are, in affect, paying for a tuba player.
If I decide that I want to ride pink horses for a living, but then it turns out that no one wants to pay to see me ride pink horses, should the tax payers have to provide for my well being? That's exactly what's happening here. We are all now supporting people that made a terrible career decision in thinking that they could earn a living blowing a horn in the low country. One of the tuba players tried to justify this bail out by saying that the musicians all had “Masters Degrees” and had studied music all of their lives. So? If I studied pink horses all of my life, would that make me something worth supporting… or foolish?
I'd love to be a rock star. I have two guitars and an amp. Will the city give me some money???????
Posted by Name_Withheld on November 26, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All of these comments are performance art. You enjoy posting your concerns and entertaining each other with your insights and wisdom. It distracts you from your life and perhaps in some way assists your mental health.
People who live in Cities and actually pay the taxes there need that outlet too. Enjoy your preferred freedom of expression and let those who have talent that can entertain from a stage exhibit it for those who enjoy that expression.
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Name-Withheld, when I post on here, ride my pink horse or play my guitar as a "performance art", it's not costing you or anyone else anything. That's the point of the posts. There's nothing wrong with orchestra music, no one is saying that. We're just saying that the governments ought to be taking care of the basics before they spend money on this type of thing, if they spend money on it at all. Get crime under control. Fix the streets. Fix the education problems. Pay the police and firemen what they should be paid... Take care of all of the necessities and then see if there is enough left over for the pink horses and tuba players.
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by map06 on November 26, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.: useful postings. mass quantities of literary diarrhea for composting.
Surely with your "master’s degree" you can come up with a more thought provoking post than that?? My daughter can do better and she's just a first year student at Trident Tech.
Posted by ganma on November 26, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you for bringing the Charles Webb Center into this discussion. My grandson is one of the children that receives "excellent" childcare there. I couldn't believe that the City of Charleston is giving money to support the orchestra but has not mentioned helping these "special" children. These people with their "degrees" should be able to help themselves. The children cared for by Charles Webb cannot - they are totally dependent on someone else to keep them safe and teach them to be as independent as possible so that they will be less of a burden on taxpayers, community, etc when they are adults.
COLDBUD - I do not know the exact amount that parents pay for this care because I try to stay out of my children's financial affairs. However, it is my understanding that what the family pays is based on income. In most cases, if the parents could not work in order to care for the child, the family would be receiving welfare/food stamps. The parents were told that it would cost them over $300.00 per week per child to keep the center open. I don't know of many people who could afford to pay that and have anything left of their weekly pay.
Posted by eyfigueroa on November 26, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ganma: thank you for shedding some light onto this very sad situation. I consider myself solidly middle class and I would be hard pressed to pay 1200 a month for childcare.
Most people have healthy children and simply do not understand nor truly appreciate the sacrifices and some may say burdens of caring for such children. The financial costs are generally astronomical and I'm not even going to mention the stress placed upon families, other children and marriages.
That is why I wish there was something I could do help keep the Webb Center open. Most parents of disabled children work hard to provide a safe and loving environment for them. And in some cases, some families are forced to stay home and unable to work as the level of care needed isn’t available and they're simply no other family members that can take up the slack. For those families, welfare and food stamps are the only way to go short of giving up the child for adoption.
It does bother me to see the City of Charleston or any other govt. entity for that matter, on one hand complain about dipping into reserves to make ends meet, and then on the other gleefully volunteer tax dollars to support a program, though educating and enlightening, not one that is a necessity.
I certainly can appreciate people who follow their passions and engage in a career field that generally doesn’t pay a lot. However, it is patently unfair to ask taxpayers to fund such career choices especially when the govt. is pulling funding from programs that can possibly mean life or death for its citizens.
There is NO comparison between funding the CSO and funding The Webb Center. For any musician to think so should be ashamed of themselves. A tuba player can go out and deliver pizzas or even clean houses for extra money. I’ve done it. But to be indignant about taxpayers railing against the very real injustice of spending money on an orchestra when a family doesn’t have childcare for a kid with severe cerebral palsy is simply ridiculous!!!!
Posted by map06 on November 26, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In the interest of good will I would like to wish my good friends "ColdBud" and "B_Fwak" a wonderful Thanks Giving Holiday. By the way I have a GED.
Posted by ColdBud on November 26, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Happy Thanks Giving to you too map06. Congrats on your GED. That shows you took a step you didn't have to take. We'll just have to agree to disagree on the funding issue here.
Posted by gp0610 on November 27, 2008 at 9:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh man, you guys have no clue what you are talking about. heres a lesson from non-profit managment 101: A majority of your money comes from the PUBLIC in forms of PUBLIC CONTRIBUTIONS and GRANTS. You all enjoy Spoleto Festival and the $$ it brings into the Charleston area? SPOLETO'S A NONPROFIT. If you are all against gov't support of the arts; go complain to the National Endownment of the Arts in DC, you know the ones who help fund ETV, another nonprofit. If you enjoy the cultured atmosphere of this great city, get educated in how these arts organizations run. And in case you missed the article, they're applying for 250,000 and can get it only if they raise an additional 250,000 THEN the city will give them 50,000. The 50,000 is a hint to the world on how much this city depends on the arts. Without these three organizations in the city, Charleston would lose money. These musicians, actors, and dancers DO IN FACT depend on money that given to the organizations. Where do you think people with degrees in music go to work anyway? Disney World? No, they work for orchestras, a majority of which are nonprofit. Not to mention, that people need jobs in this economy, and people do work for nonprofits. I cannot believe the ignorance of you all who live in this art-infused city.