Flavor savior

By JONATHAN FOX

NARROWSBURG, NY — Once again, the folks at the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance ( DVAA, www.artsalliancesite.org ) have been innovative. The program is a perfect example of necessity being the mother of invention. Over the past two years, the DVAA has suffered the daunting setback of a 25 percent reduction of all revenue streams, which includes memberships, donations, grants and proceeds from the gift shop. In response, members of the DVAA staff put on their collective thinking caps and came up with a plan that is clever, creative and fun in order to augment their coffers. Dubbed as “Arts Alive,” the year- long $100,000 fundraising drive to sustain the arts is underway and I am excited to have the opportunity to participate.

The first event in the initiative has been named “Savor the Arts.” Conceived as a fundraiser that “anyone and everyone can participate in,” Savor the Arts, scheduled for Saturday, April 10, is designed to give those who wish to participate an opportunity to throw a party, dine with friends, have a ball and raise money, all at the same time. Never one to turn down a chance to entertain, I was anxious to get on board and be a part of the solution.

Savor the Arts is a “grass roots” effort that I believe can truly succeed, which is why I have chosen to take part. The plan is simple: host a party, invite friends to join in, and raise funds, one dollar at a time. Executive director Elaine Giguere broke it down with elegant simplicity. “We are hoping to get 50 to 100 parties going,” she said “I think it’s a great way for everyone to help on a small scale.”

Apparently, Giguere is not alone. Locally and across the state, people are signing up to host parties ranging from the simple to the sublime. The “Arts Alive” literature states that individual parties “can be as simple as barbequed beans and beer to a lavish champagne and caviar event at your home, place of business, or public space. One may set a suggested donation price or ask guests to contribute what they can.” The DVAA is willing and anxious to help the party hosts in any number of ways, from suggesting menus to providing promotional materials regarding the program.

There are many more facets to the Arts Alive program, including donation boxes placed in public places and an “art walk” scheduled for June 6, but these parties, followed by an open house, brunch and silent auction on April 11, launch the entire fundraising effort. The point is getting friends together to support the DVAA’s programs and services. As of March 1, there will be an ongoing map of party locations, conceived as a visual to show people (by way of dots) that they are in good company.

I have already discovered that folks are jumping on the band wagon. Elaine encouraged me to actively participate with her enthusiasm. “Be creative!” she exclaimed. “We already have people signing up in Narrowsburg, Kenoza Lake, Beach Lake, Hortonville, Monticello and Lake Huntington. Our goal is to get at least 100 parties going simultaneously.”

The organization is also encouraging folks to take photos of their events. Naturally, this is a tax deductible plan, so that the hosts and contributors can participate with the minimum hit to their personal pocketbooks.

Raising money can be hard work, but this program is cleverly constructed so that participants can raise money for the arts and have fun in the process. When asked whether the April 10 date is the only option, Giguere said no. Although encouraging as many as possible to host individual events on that date, she said the date is “optimal, but we won’t turn down folks that wish to host events on other days. Several parties are already planned for alternate dates, such as an April Fool’s Day party in New York City and a Daytona 500 party in Sullivan County.”

Giguere also said there have been inquiries from folks who may be new to the area, are weekenders, or even out of state. “There is always a solution,” she continued. “One can host a party out of the area—any state, region, even on a cruise ship—wherever you happen to find yourself on April 10.”

The DVAA, founded in 1976, is committed to presenting programs in the visual, performing, literary and media arts and service a county and valley-wide constituency of artists, art groups and the general public. The staff advocates for advancement of the arts on the local, state, national and international level. As a catalyst for events not generally available, DVAA sponsors an outstanding variety of arts and cultural programs in its facilities, the Delaware Arts Center, on Main Street in Narrowsburg, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Tusten Theatre, a fully renovated 160 seat facility.

This party planning has my creative juices flowing. I’m looking at options—a fondue party could be fun, maybe a pot-luck. I’ve committed to the date already and am in the process of getting my friends on board. To join in the fun, email info@ArtsAllianceSite.org or call 845/252-7576. The DVAA is happy to accept tax-deductible donations in lieu of hosting or attending a party. Or you can stop by at 37 Main Street in Narrowsburg, have a look at the gallery and buy some gifts to contribute to this worthy cause.