2017-032-E Arts - Women's Voices Chorus, Inc. - Fall 2016 Arts Grant Agreement

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DocuSign Envelope ID:4F42587D-D5B0-4359-B7A1-8246D2FA6E29 FALL 2016 ARTS PROGRAM GRANT Women's Voices Chorus PROPOSED USE OF GRANT FUNDS Women's Voices Chorus is proud of the high level of excellence that we have risen to under the leadership of Artistic Director Allan Friedman and Accompanist Deborah Hollis. Our May 2017 concert in Chapel Hill will explore the borders that fill our world: boundaries between countries,between youth and experience,between sleep and wakefulness,between slavery and freedom, between life and death. We will feature music from the United States and from the Baltic States, our destination for a summer 2017 international tour. This compelling concert will include spirituals,folk songs,and new music by contemporary female composers.We seek funding to create outstanding marketing materials for this concert and to purchase the composition "Bridge of Songs" by Veljo Tormis, which will both anchor and highlight the performance. Women's Voices Chorus has a long history of high-quality performances.We are committed to using materials of equally high quality to market our concerts. We work with a professional graphic designer to create a visual representation of each upcoming concert theme and carry that art throughout our marketing materials. These printed materials include posters, postcards, and business-size cards that members distribute to publicize our concerts. Some sample marketing materials from previous concerts are attached to this application.A grant of $1500 would enable us to spend$475 to work with a graphic artist to design and create enticing promotional materials and$800 to print them. The remaining$425 will be used to purchase the title piece of our spring 2017 concert,"Bridge of Songs" ("Laulusild")by Veljo Tormis.Purchasing the rights to the music we sing is an ongoing expense that our chorus faces each year.We value the opportunity to revisit some songs over time,but we also appreciate being able to add new pieces to our repertoire. "Bridge of Songs," inspired by Finnish and Estonian folk songs and poetry, is a particularly compelling work that we will take with us on our tour of the Baltic States next summer. Women's Voices Chorus has grown over the years, and so has our audience: We now sing to almost 1,200 people per concert season.The audience is of all ages (6-80+)with a slight female majority.Although some of our audience members and singers live in the greater Triangle area, we primarily serve Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Durham.We actively seek to widen the diversity of our audience through outreach, music selection, and performance venues. We have also broadened our community impact through summer benefits and other free performances. Our concerts are regularly reviewed and receive accolades such as these from local reviewers: "Women's Voices Chorus continues to blaze new musical trails under the leadership of Allan Friedman, a conductor whose precision and enthusiasm mirrors—or perhaps helps inspire— that of his singers."Jon Lambert,CVNC.org, May 2012 "Women's Voices Chorus under the direction of Allan Friedman has,over the past several years, established a high standard of excellence in choral singing." Ken Hoover, CVNC.org,April 2016 Women's Voices Chorus Inc. is a private,non-profit organization, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3)of the Internal Revenue Code