While my business card says announces me as the Communications & Special Events Manager for the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, days like today and weeks like this week make me feel more like the Everything Manager, involving me in a series of diverse projects I never imagined the day would hold. But don’t take me as a complainer. Despite the occasional sigh of being overwhelmed, the excitement of the season brings needed motivation and a significant sense of accomplishment. There’s a unique strength produced not only by the world of marketing, but also the world of the arts.
Monday morning always arrives with a to-do list. The things leftover from last week combined with my ambitious hopes to stay one step ahead of numerous demands. An outsider may chuckle at my laundry-list of chores, which is seemingly more chaotic than cohesive. Design, print, stuff, and mail invitations. Pick up silent auction spa package. Write marketing plan for grant. Update HTML on Facebook page. Tweet about school visits. Yet, in a small office of five people running an orchestra of just under a million dollars, this vast scope of activities becomes necessary to run a successful and vibrant organization such as ours.
This time of year keeps us on our toes. While our audience will experience two, two-hour Mozart & More performances at both the Pontifical College Josephinum and Southern Theatre this weekend, their perspective does not expose the effort that goes into the details of a single concert. There are program books to proof, ads to design and submit, tickets to be accounted for. In addition, special events take place outside of the performance, such as our sold-out Mozart & Martinis reception with CYP Club (And trust me…by Sunday evening a martini is going to be appreciated!)
There’s an abundance of expected activity: eight performances in nine weeks, four community outreach events, and our largest fundraiser of the year. And there are also the unexpected occurrences that are impossible to avoid: last minute construction of a stage at the Josephinum, continued pursuit of funding via corporate and private sponsorships, and artist cancellations. Additionally, our relationships with donors, partners, and volunteers continue to grow, requiring management and coordination of numerous individuals. Never a dull moment, at ProMusica!
In the midst of all the details, performances provide a deserved time of rest. The music, the people, and the experience lift away the pressures of to-do lists and encourage a much-needed pause in all the planning and decision-making. Performances offer replenishment and an opportunity to restore energy and creativity, cultivating that strength that encourages us to carry on.
This spring, excitement is in the air! While ProMusica and many other arts organizations are entering the climax of their seasons, individuals working for these organizations see their days explode with a broad abundance of diverse (and sometimes odd) tasks. There are those days where we just don’t know how we’re going to get everything done – but the sound of rapid audience applause and the sight of inspired faces establish the passion and drive needed to continue.
To take part in these exciting spring events, visit us on the web or call (614) 464-0066.
GCAC Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting art and advancing culture in Columbus – in partnership with the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, a professional development and networking association of arts marketers. Each column will be written by a different local arts organization to give you an insiders look at the arts in Columbus.
