Commentary: I address this email to you as a constituent living in Las Cruces’ District 6, as a professional artist, former board member and president of the Dona Ana Arts Council, and strong advocate for a vibrant arts and cultural community in Las Cruces. It addresses my concerns regarding a proposed change by the City in management of the Rio Grande Theatre, which has been operated by the Arts Council for the past 11 years.
A community benefits from a vibrant arts culture, and the Arts Council has been the lead organization in that capacity for the past 40 years. In managing the Rio Grande Theatre for the past 11 years, they have performed a dual-purpose function. They have enabled the citizens of Las Cruces to develop ownership in the Theatre via:
* reduced rates for non-profit groups and local artists for fund-raising performances;
* City-mandated free-to-the-public performances;
* a gallery with monthly exhibits of works of local artists;
* performances added to professional bookings for attendance by children's school groups;
* children's summer programs such as Career Art Path, Missoula Children's Theatre, and Santa Fe
Opera Storytellers.
In addition to all that the Arts Council is booking a regular schedule of income-producing professional performances.
Lacking direction from the City regarding its expectations other than to "make it profitable", the Arts Council’s management has provided added value by this programming; the Arts Council has created and maintained enormous good will and garnered the support and dedication of the community. They have touched the lives of not only their members and donors, but enlisted huge numbers of volunteers and the many Arts Council board members, past and present.
Members of the City Council could consider their constituencies: parents of the children participating in programs; those enjoying performances for students, and artists and groups renting the Theatre at reduced rates while enjoying the thrill of performing with professional light and sound assistance. Under the leadership of the Arts Council the Theatre may not scream "moneymaker”, but it sings "heart and soul". Under the management of the Arts Council, the community has assumed ownership of the Theatre.
It is my opinion, however, that the Arts Council should not continue to bleed $$ and talent in continuing to manage the Theatre under the present arrangement with the City. It is also my opinion that the CVB (or any other department/group given management of the Theatre) would be unable to turn a profit given the same variety in programming. The Theatre seats only 422 people, so it is unreasonable to expect that only expensive professional acts could be booked at ticket prices the Las Cruces market could/would support. Therefore, it is unreasonable to expect that only that approach to programming would be successful in turning a profit.
Let’s try a new approach. We talk frequently about synergy - the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But synergy doesn't just happen on its own. It's a process, and through that process, people bring their experience, expertise and resources to the table.
In their past and present relationship regarding the Theatre, the City and the Arts Council have not been true partners. In that, the City has not shared its resources with the Arts Council. The City owns the Theatre, restored and given to it by the Arts Council. Imagine if it were possible for the City to share its resources and assume some operating costs for the Theatre such as electricity, custodial, marketing/advertising, grant-writing, insurance coverage, and other expenses for which the City has economies of scale the Arts Council does not. Consider a new approach......shared resources. Why not become true partners? Working together benefits everyone.
During Mr. San Phillipo's initial comments during the December 12th City Council meeting, he listed potential things he would create given management of the Theatre. He stated that, during events like (the Arts Council's) annual Las Cruces Arts Fair, his CVB would also stage events to entice people to visit the city. I ask you, why has he not done that already? His department, right now, can utilize the Theatre. Why have his ideas for programs in the Theatre not been put into practice or, at the very least, suggested to DAAC? The Arts Council is and has been willing to work with a range of organizations….why not a City/Arts Council collaboration on a multitude of opportunities.
Until now, the Arts Council and its operation of the Theatre have been treated like a bad disease to be tolerated, rather than a true partner of the City. Let's turn that around before moving on.
I urge the City Council members to consider this change in management carefully. You have in place now an experienced Rio Grande Theatre management team that has the support of the community….they are missing only your support. The Rio Grande Theatre, under the Dona Ana Arts Council stewardship, has grown over the past 11 years to become a living, breathing arts and cultural center of our community.
I also hope you will consider the following alternatives as means to better manage the Rio Grande Theatre: create an agreement to share resources that can enable a true and respectful partnership between the City and the Arts Council; amend the existing management contract for the balance of years 4 and 5 containing additional resources over the current yearly management fee, or the City's absorption of some operating costs mentioned above, or a combination of those; along with thoughtful consideration of the sale of alcohol in the Theatre as an earned-revenue source.
Right now, the Arts Council is in limbo. Theater bookings are finalized far in advance of a performance or rental date. As a result of the proposed change by the City in the management of the Rio Grande Theatre, end-of-year or early 2018 bookings which would be contracted by the Arts Council during this period, for performances beyond the year 3 end-date of their agreement with the City, are now on hold.
The Arts Council has been successful in their operation of the Rio Grande Theatre in immeasurable ways. Please let them understand what you want to accomplish with the Theatre, establish achievable goals and then allow them to fulfill an amended contractual agreement with the City to achieve those goals. That will benefit us all.
I would very much like to discuss this issue with you.
Kathleen Squires