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Dear <<First Name>>
We really miss seeing friends at our Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series’ events. Seeing you brightens our lives as much as we hope the events brighten yours. We hope you and your loved ones are safe.
This missive will update you on what we have been doing and what we are planning for the fall and beyond. First, we have postponed three events. The Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour with Nathan Richardson as Frederick Douglass and a Benefit for Ocracoke Alive featuring the Molasses Creek Band and Coyote. We remain hopeful that these events can be brought back in the future.
We offered full refunds to audience members who had already purchased tickets. Three very generous patrons refused refunds and allowed us to add their purchases to the $4,000 contribution we sent to support Ocracoke Alive in lieu of the benefit concert. We hope this will be a down payment on a future event but felt that even if we can’t schedule a performance soon, it was important to support the island’s musicians in this way.
We are also a partner in the Dare County Arts Council’s Courthouse Sessions Series. The Series features virtual performances by local bands and musicians. The recently added Literary Sessions feature local writers reading their works for an audience assembled on Facebook Live. The Series has been very successful both in terms of audience size and donations generated to support the performers during these times when in person concerts do not work. For more information visit the Dare county Arts Council website.
Additionally, subscribers to our email newsletter have received the Cultural Resources in the COVID-19 series. These emails feature cultural events that are available right in the comfort of your own home. We have highlighted musical performances by the Virginia Opera and Virginia Symphony, theater works from the National Theatre (UK) , dance performances by the Alvin Ailley Dance theater and much more.
For art lovers the emails have noted virtual gallery tours from around the world, important lectures about current exhibitions and explorations of art works created for the stay at home era. The literary arts section has covered free books, virtual poetry readings, even free audio books. We plan to continue the series for as long as needed to provide an alternative to the events we are unable to hold.
Looking forward we have 4 events still on the schedule. We do not expect that social distancing rules will be relaxed enough to allow live performances from the Surf and Sounds Chamber Music Series. We are working with the musicians to commission a series of virtual performances that we can share with you. We do this in part because we want to hear and see the performance but also to support these artists at a time when their income from live shows has been cut off.
We are also in discussion with the US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and her team about creating an online reading for us as well as shorter pieces that we can use in the virtual class room to teach poetry. Our commitment to education has not lagged and we hope these videos may be used across the country to bring Ms. Harjo’s words to students everywhere.
While we cannot host the Latin Ballet of Virginia in a live performance, we are in discussion with the Dare County Schools about the best way to bring this cultural resource to their students. We are especially focused on the students in the Spanish immersion program. The school system, the Latin Ballet of Virginia and our partners at the Dare County Arts council are very optimistic that we will be able to bring programming to the schools this year. The program is supported in part by a grant from the Outer Banks Community Foundation.
Planning for the 4th Annual Art Invitational Exhibition titled Wood: from tree to vessel/table/sculpture continues. We expect to hold the event at Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head with only one change from past exhibitions, we will not be able to hold an opening reception. The show will be in place for 3 weeks and we hope you will take the time to visit the gallery.
Looking at the longer term we remain hopeful that live events will return at some point in 2021. We are talking with the performers whose events we could not hold this year and to at least one unique talent that we had previously scheduled for an event next April. We will keep you updated as these plans mature.
We want to thank you for your support of the Series. We are working daily to adapt our efforts to serve you during these difficult times. If you have suggestions or just want to comment on our plans you can do so on our website at bryanculturalseries.org/contact, by emailing info@bryanculturalseries.org and calling (252) 564-9767. We even get your cards and letters at Bryan Cultural Series, PO Box 547 Nags Head, NC 27959
Thank you again for your support. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely
John Tucker, President
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