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week of 3/6/02 | |
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By Scott McLeod
The Haywood County Arts Council has shifted money away from administrative costs and into programming, a move that should better serve the community, says Joe Sam Queen, president of the organization.
A budget adopted two weeks ago provides funding for the annual Atlanta Ballet summer residency and brings back the popular children’s festival Razzle Dazzle Saturday.
“Our budget reduces overhead costs and transfers that money into programming,” said Queen.
The council is currently searching for a new executive director following the resignation of Trina Royar last year. That position will pay up to $35,000 per year, and the new person should be in place sometime in April, said Queen. There is also another $8,500 in the budget for a part-time intern.
In recent years, Queen said administrative costs have run as high as $71,000 per year.
The Atlanta Ballet remains the big-ticket event of the council’s year, but its future has now been solidified after a couple of years when it was in doubt, said Queen. The artistic fee to bring the ballet to the mountains is $39,500, only $4,500 more than its first year in 1991. Total costs for the two ticketed performances, a free performance for all the county’s eighth-graders at Haywood Community College, and a number of other free programs and open rehearsals is $48,000. A separate committee headed by Jane Lesesne has already met and begun developing plans for this year’s residency.
“If you think about it, it’s really amazing that we’ve been able to maintain such a high level of programming and maintain the level of funding support we’ve had in this county,” Queen said.
Because there have been some financial setbacks in the past couple of years, Queen said it was important that the arts council have a successful fund-raising year in 2002. Among the major fund-raisers so far planned are:
° A wine tasting to be held Wednesday, March 20, at the Savory Thyme Grill that will benefit the arts council. For information on that event call 848.452.6000.
° Charles Frazier, author of Cold Mountain, will speak at a fund-raising event held on the porch of Springdale Country Club, where the real Cold Mountain will serve as a backdrop.
° North Carolina poet laureate and Canton native Fred Chappell will speak at an event held in the old Colonial Theater in downtown Canton.
Ballet planning begins
A long, close relationship between the Atlanta Ballet and the Haywood County Arts Council comes to fruition this spring when the troupe will unveil an Appalachian-themed ballet during its summer residency in September.
“This, really, is as exciting of an event as I’ve been involved with,” said Queen.
The ballet is collaborating with the internationally known Appalachian string band The Red Clay Ramblers and choreographer Diane Corbin-Breuning to produce the dance.
The premier in Haywood County follows years of discussions about a dance of this type between Queen and Atlanta Ballet Artistic Director John McFall. Queen is the grandson of legendary Appalachian dancer Sam Queen, whose Soco Cloggers performed for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Queen Elizabeth during the 1940s. The Soco Cloggers were among the first mountain dancers to introduce clogging and folk dancing to audiences outside the Appalachian region.
McFall has wanted to do something for a while, but it has just never worked out until now, said Queen. A couple of years ago Bruening came to town and visited with Queen for a few days.
“McFall thinks she is one of the most talented choreographers around,” said Queen.
While here Breuning and Queen attended a street dance in Waynesville and the Bascam Lamar Lundsford old-time music and dance festival in Asheville. When they returned that evening to his house, Queen said he sprinkled corn meal on his porch and continued Breuning’s introduction to traditional Appalachian dancing.
Queen said the ballet had wanted to premier the dance last year, but their budget was too strapped. This year, though, the troupe is already rehearsing the piece and the premier in September is definite, said Queen. At this point it appears the Red Clay Ramblers won’t perform live during the piece due to a scheduled tour in Japan, said Queen.
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