4th of July

We are excited! After a decade of helping the Fireworks Committee present the 4th of July concert and fireworks, the Cultural Alliance is taking the lead in presenting the event this year. Though we still have the support of the Bon-Ton, Glatfelter Insurance, Susquehanna Real Estate, and the York Newspaper Company, we have 2 brand new sponsors. Columbia Gas of PA and BAE Sytems are the lead sponsors this year, ensuring that York's 4th of July continues. We are proud that York will continue this 30 + year old tradition while communities all around us are cancelling theirs due to finances. York is just an incredible and supportive community so if you see our sponsors, shake their hands for helping keep our 4th at the Expo Center alive.

While we will continue our wonderful traditions, symphonic music and song, we have a few surprises in store for you this year. And don't forget our surprise ending - the fireworks sounding off at the end of the 1812 Overture! Dah dah dah dah dah dah duh duh da - BOOM!

The young Wagman boys, who played blue grass so beautifully for Del McCoury during the Governor's Arts Awards, will also play. It's just going to be fabulous and we don't want anyone to miss it.

Remember - this event is free and open to the public. For more information and to download song lyrics for our sing-along, visit our web site, 4th of July section, at www.culturalalliance-york.org/JulyFourth.htm

Cultural Plan Roll Out/Bob Pullo

Yesterday, more than 200 people attended the Cultural Alliance's public roll out of its year long Cultural Plan. The consultant, Diane Mataraz, explained that we are "opening our Tent" and becoming more that just a fundraiser. While still funding our current grantees, we will also fund partnerships, projects, and individuals who need help.

No longer members, the cultural sector are our partners in driving community through creativity. Very exciting stuff and we will need everyone's help to make York, Hanover, and York County more vibrant and unique than it already is!

At the morning roll out, at Crispus Attucks, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, announced that our own Board Emeritus, Founder, Funder and all around arts guru, Bob Pullo, has been approved by the Senate to be the first Yorker ever to sit on the PA Council on the Arts' board. They couldn't have picked a better person - and we are so lucky to have Bob as our county's spokeperson on the Council.

We have a Plan!!!!

On Tuesday, June 9, Diane Mataraza will unveil the results of the Cultural Alliance's Community Cultural Plan which took a year to complete. The Alliance board has approved its direction and it was incorporated into our strategic plan. The Cultural Alliance now begins transforming the York Community through its leadership.

The Public Roll out will be held three times on June 9.

• Crispus Attucks - 9:00 AM
• Studio at the Strand - 1:00 PM - Philadelphia Street Entrance
• York College - 7:00 PM - Humanites 218 - Creekside - Film Viewing Room

We want York to come and hear what all your words translated into - as you know, more than 3300 Yorkers weighed in on what they want this cultural community to become. Please join us and then HELP us implement this plan to everyone's delight!

Governors Arts Awards

I have wonderful news! Governor Ed and Judge Marjorie Rendell are hosting the Governors Arts Awards on October 1 in York!!!! The Cultural Alliance is the lead community resource and the Strand is the venue. It's like the academy awards in York.

Last year they honored artists, organizations, and patrons. The winner of the Arts Award was Micheal Keaton, Batman, who was born in Pittsburgh.

We don't know who is coming, but we know that the Strand holds 1200 seats and we want to fill them. There will also be a post show reception, around 8:00 - details to unfold.

Along with the awards, we want to have a celebration of excellent creativity around the Strand to showcase our city and our creative sector. Please contact us if you want to help!

It is a great honor that we have been chosen - let's all make it wonderful.

We are about to begin our 10th annual campaign at the Cultural Alliance. Keep Art and Soul on a Roll is our campaign slogan, and we have incorporated a new 10th anniversary logo. Check it out on our campaign page.

We also have a new look on our web site. After 10 years in business, we ( and by we I mean Mary Anne) wanted to update our look - and it turned out beautifully.

Our campaign kicks-off on January 6, 2009 - boy it's hard to write a 9 instead of an 8 - at York Little Theatre. Our consultant, Diane Mataraza, will speak about transforming York through arts, heritage, and culture.

We are inviting any volunteer who worked for us over the past 9 campaigns to join us at York Little Theatre. Please come and hear the news - and also get your proper thanks for helping us become one of the best United Arts Funds in the country!

We launched our community cultural plan with 51 members of the steering committee attending. The purpose of such a big group is to make sure we hear from as many sectors of our community as possible. The consultant will be here November 10 through the 14 so if you can arrange a group meeting - community forum is Diane's language - let me know and I will schedule it. We need your voices to inform this plan.

Thanks!

Community Cultural Plan

Following our very successful Arts Marketing Survey and Research (link on our web page) the Cultural Alliance has hired Diane Mataraza, former head of the Grammy Foundation and Deputy at the NEA, to conduct a Community Cultural Plan over the next 10 months.

Diane will talk to our entire community to get a sense of where we'd like to be in 10 years - culturally and historically - and how we can get there. A large Steering Committee is being formed right now, and we will be reaching out into the entire county and all the people we can.

So stay tuned - we are going to have a plan that will help us become the cultural destination we want to be - and we will do it together!