Border States and Outreach

[Helene]

I had never thought before about how artistic institutions at the border of a different state(s) provided outreach to communities in the other state(s), but I received this email from Oregon Ballet Theatre -- Portland is close to the Washington State border (emphasis mine):

Quote

 

Dear OBT Friends,

On Thursday, September 20th, OBT will be one of many organizations taking part in GiveMore24 - a major online effort to benefit nonprofits serving the state of Washington – specifically Clark, Cowlitz and Skamania counties.  Please consider supporting this effort – for OBT, or for any of the other worthy groups taking part.

ALL proceeds benefit SW Washington, and all donations to OBT will be directed specifically to the arts education outreach programs we do in the state.

Give More 24 is a 24-hour online giving effort.  It is designed to leverage the power of committed individuals with the electronic “reach” of the internet.  In 2017, Give More 24 raised over $1 million in a 24 hour period for programs that serve SW Washington.  This year, we hope to eclipse even that amount.

If you feel so moved, here’s how you can help:

·         Of course, on September 20 you can make a donation in ANY amount online.  We will have a link in our emails and on our Facebook page to follow to the Donate page.

·         Follow our Facebook page.  We will have updates and special messages about our educational outreach efforts in SW Washington.

·         When you see a Facebook post about GiveMore24, “Like” it, “Comment” on it, or “Share” it.  Each engagement with our Facebook posts helps to widen the distribution of the message.  Our goal is that the message go viral because of networking, and YOUR action helps make that possible.

·         Not sure you will have the time or computer access on the 20th to be certain you can take part?  As we get closer to the date, there will be an option to pre-program a donation that then appears in the tally on the 20th.

·         Tell your friends and co-workers about GiveMore24.  There is strength in numbers.

Last season, our educational outreach programs reached in excess of 30,000 participants in Oregon and Washington.  Our hope is to expand that impact much more in Washington.

To learn more about OBT’s educational outreach, visit our website: https://www.obt.org/education-outreach/

To learn more about GiveMore24, or to check and see if some of your other favorite nonprofit organizations are taking part, visit: https://www.givemore24.org/  and enter the organization name in the “Search” box in the upper right.

Please save the date and help us make September 20 a special day for the arts in SW Washington.  You have the power of the “click.”

 

Does anyone know of other ballet companies that do the same?

[sandik]

Fascinating -- I'll have to think about some other examples, but one thing that does come to mind is when the Eugene Ballet used to tour in the Northwest under a different name (at one point they were Ballet Idaho in Boise, though that's an independent company now) -- I don't know enough about their administrative structure to know if they did separate fundraising.

I'd also wondered about companies like the Joffrey, who used to spend a significant part of their year on tour -- I know at one point there were local organizations that would fundraise for the company's local appearances ("Friends of" groups), or presenters that primarily show touring groups who raise money for those endeavors.  But none of this is primarily across political boundaries. 

I have a feeling that there was less concern about this before state and local arts agencies sprang up in the 1960s and 70s with the mandate to serve a geographic area.

[Helene]

Does anyone know if any of the companies in Philadelphia serve the adjacent NJ area with community outreach programs?