Nine More Arts Jobs Saved! South Florida Wind Pride Ensemble
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7/12/2010 1:38:40 PM
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BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward Cultural Division distributed economic recovery funds to 17 arts organizations including The South Florida Wind Pride Ensemble which retained one artistic director and eight artists who were previously slated for elimination due to financial cut backs, including Artistic Director Dan Bassett. To date, 47 arts jobs in Broward County were retained through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enacted through the Obama Administration.
The Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Marching Band produce two major concerts per year at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. In addition to formal concerts, they perform at pride events from Jacksonville to Key West, Christmas on Las Olas, Christmas Eve at Metropolitan Community Church Sunshine Cathedral, the Tuesday’s Angels Bike Ride, and many other events as requested. The bands regularly share the stage with local performers and believe strongly in supporting local talent. The wind ensemble has had the pleasure of collaborating with the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, Lambda Chorale, In Harmony, Metropolitan Community Church Sunshine Cathedral Choir and the Florida Singing Sons Boychoir. Along with these local collaborators, singers, dancers, special lighting and video presentations all add to the bands’ large-scale productions.
Artistic Director Dan Bassett has worked with the South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble since 2006 and coordinates all three of the musical groups - the Wind Ensemble, the Marching Band, and the Jazz Ensemble. He produces concerts and runs weekly rehearsals while promoting the organization within the community.
Other artists services contracted through this grant were for the services of Teresa Flores, percussionist, hired to play for both concerts this past season; Brian Bender, dancer; Walter Gutierrez, dancer; Barrett Johnson, vocalist; Gary Midnight, magician; M. Quimen Sanchez, dancer; Jenna Stam, dancer and Antonio Dell'Aglio, musician.
Through the economic stimulus package, Broward County’s Cultural Division received a $250,000 grant, and in turn re-granted the funds through an ARRA Lifeline application process. These funds were specifically directed to restore jobs in the arts, endorsing the notion that the non-profit arts industry is an important sector of the economy. Arts organizations had the opportunity to apply for funds to provide salary support for an existing staff member who would otherwise have been laid off; or to re-engage artistic/contracted services already let go.
Even before the Obama Administration signed the ARRA into law on February 17, 2009, County staff was immediately mobilized to respond. The Broward Cultural Council as well as the Cultural Division moved quickly to execute these grants and distribute the funds to the cultural organizations. Also, a Broward County Stimulus Grants Coordination Office, www.broward.org/recovery was established for the purpose of centralizing the identification, development, review, approval and tracking for grants and contracts resulting from ARRA. The office is managed by Linda Ross, stimulus grants coordinator with Broward County.
For further information on the list of grantees, or this program, visit the Broward Cultural Division website; or contact Jim Shermer 954-357-7502; e-mail: jshermer@broward.org.
In July, there will be a display of a number of these cultural organizations who were sub-recipients of a $250,000 grant. The display will run from July 6 – 30, 2010 at the Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Art Works
NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has laid out the guiding principle that will inform his work at the agency, which can be summed up in two words: “Art works.” See the Chairman’s blog at: http://www.arts.gov/artworks/ |
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