Dear Alma, Local hero is wrecking my festival
mainFrom our agony aunt:
Dear Alma,
I run a summer concert series in a mid-sized city. We do pretty well, and have managed to be financially stable. The problem is that a person who grew up here has just announced they are starting a series during the same time in our town. He is bringing in some big names and doing impressive programs. I am offended that he didn’t even contact us to talk about starting the series or check that the concerts are not on the same nights, which many are. Is there a way we can both survive?
Nervous
Dear Nervous,
That is certainly cause for concern. Anything could happen, but it would be great if your series, at least, could survive.
In recent history, there was a famous person who took over series which had been well-loved for many years. The new line-up had noticeably higher-paycheck artists, as well as more expensive tickets. Even though the concerts were well-attended, the whole series went kaput after that first summer because of overspending and infighting. You can never tell how it’s going to roll.
What you can do, however, is to reach out to your loyal supporters and audience members, and do what you can to retain their support. Stay the course. You could add a special event which would not hurt your pocketbook, like a breakfast with the artists at a local bakery, or a new lecture series. Try to stay ahead of the new series by fostering your relationships and growing them. At the same time, meet with your staff and devise several ways of growing your audience. You need as many bottoms in seats as possible.
In the mean time, try to see what you can do to avoid conflicting dates. Is your schedule already completely set, or do you have wiggle room? Also, reach out to the new series and introduce yourself. They may just be so green that they don’t realize they have snubbed you. Maybe there is a way that the two series can differentiate themselves. It’s not too late to make some adjustments to a summer program.
Nervous, you should be nervous. Fight for this, don’t just let it slip away.
Questions for Alma? Please put them in the comments section or send to [email protected]
Whilst I am sympathetic to Nervous, in my experiences in situations like this it is worth reflecting on why the new concert series has emerged. This is a local person – so have they felt your series was inaccessible to them? Have they created a new thing because your one was too difficult to join? It may be a different situation, but I have personally had to create concerts for myself because too many older (and sometimes amateur) musicians are uncomfortable to concede power and opportunities to the younger generations.
Either way think of it as healthy competition! If this inspires you to fundraise or more impressive concerts, the discomfort now will only be to the benefit of your town.
I don’t read it as a “local” person in the sense you’re suggesting. The phrase is “someone who grew up here” – the impression is of someone with a local connection who no longer lives in the city or who spends a lot of time in other places, perhaps a touring musician with good connections or a well-funded music lover-turned-entrepreneur. So not necessarily compensating for ant deficiency in the exisiting festival, but putting on a splashier festival “because they can”.
Yes I have seen this in my town. The new festival crushed the old one. And didn’t keep hiring the locals for their summer orchestra. It was depressing.
Possibly. But it can also mean importing musicians and ignoring the ones who live there. It can ruin the musical economy.
Yes find some way to make contact, and be kind and patient. Assumed the best but prepare for the worst.
Dear Alma,
I’m new to an orchestra. I had no idea that my orchestra librarian cheated on her spouse with me when we got together.
Now she’s been marking my music missing and I’ve racked up fees.
Help!