Very interesting article by Doyle McManus:
on the effects of the recession on civic participation. Here’s a quote: ”But here’s something more surprising: As the recession deepens, participation in civic activities — community organizations, volunteer groups, even church attendance and social clubs — is likely to drop.”
We’ve managed to buck the trend here, with increased ticket sales and robust participation in musical activities. A testament to a great community. But, I think this is a wake up call that we need to work even harder in this community and across the country to stay successful and engage audiences on their terms. That we as musicians have an opportunity to provide a venue for civic participation is an amazing opportunity and an awesome responsibility. That we can help to give any comfort to people in a time of need makes all of the difficulties worthwhile.
