I didn't really plan on doing this blog in parts, it just so happened. What started off with a rant on fundraising for the arts during difficult times has since turned into a journey in its own right, - the one i would be willing to take again with all the ups and downs.
For those of you who missed the rant - here it is...
Then, there was an update with a plea to help, of sorts, and that can be found here.
Which brings me to a brief update of sorts:
Having encountered rather obvious problems fundraising locally, we decided that we needed to take some bold steps to garner national attention. The first step was to post our Title Sponsorship on Ebay, and the second was to spread the word. Click here to read about it: That's just one of a few dozen articles and blogs that appeared as a result, and yet, we weren't getting anywhere... So our next, i believe, logical step was to 'create' interesting press - in the hopes that some hungry journalist somewhere would pick it up. With this being the election year, we contacted every politician running for office, including that of our next president, and well, click here to read all about it.
We are keeping our fingers crossed, and hoping that eBay does more than help us spread the word. We are hoping somewhere out there is an individual or a corporation that will contribute to a little known festival in a little known place, - an investment into the future, if you will.
Meanwhile, people from all over, including Active Rain (THANK YOU J-MAC)
have been making contributions in all the ways they could.
Another AR member and a professional musician, Eric Kodner, with fabulous advise(thank you, my friend)
and your very own Amanda Hall - who started this group, and then said something aweful sly and fabulous about sticking Oprah into the blog to get her attention that we have since expanded to include other notables, you rock!!!
As a sidenote, i must say that i had met some of the best people while trying to help
the North East Florida Jazz Association with their Jazz Fest, and that is, indeed, priceless.
In short, while the progress has been slow, we are not ready to give up just yet, and one way or the other, the Festival will go on, and the few lucky talented youngsters will get to go to college to do what they love, inspite of and despite of the state of economy, politics, and their own circumstances. They will make beautiful music that will stay with us and our kids, and they will pass it on to the next generation, because without art and beauty life is dull - no matter when or where we find ourselves...
If anyone out there wants to have a fab vacation from the ordinary, come on out and look me up. It's pretty as sin here in May - Paradise they call it, for a reason, and this time, there will be trumpets in paradise:-)
www.LegacyJazz.com will get you all the updated schedule info, travel and lodging discounts at an awesome resort overlooking the piazza with All That Jazz, and much more.
Thank you for the support, for reading, for taking the time. Sincerely, Thank you!
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