What Has Arts Alive Presented Since Its Beginning In 1981?
Festivals
Arts Alive Arts and Crafts Festivals which have showcased the work of more than 2000 local artists and artisans and more than 250 local musicians. The Festivals have also featured innumerable special performance presentations including puppet shows, tap, ballet and modern dance; drumming, fencing, the martial arts and meditative arts, aerobics, fashion shows along with demonstrations and workshops for children and adults.
Concerts
Classical concerts and non-classical concerts a total of more than 80 performances of the finest music performed by internationally acclaimed musicians in a variety of genres. Examples are: Ruthie Foster, Chee Yun, The Ahn Trio, Corky Seigel, Tom Rush, Richard Rodney Bennet and the Copenhagen Chamber Ensemble.
We are pleased with the consistently high standard of the artists we have attracted to our concerts. The artists enjoy visiting our island and we have had several repeat performances, Awadagin Pratt, The Ahn Trio, Ruthie Foster and Joy Cline have each made two or more appearances.
An interesting point is that the artists themselves talk about their experiences with their peers and as Classics in the Garden series progressed from year to year we were increasingly approached by artists who had heard of the concerts and wished to be considered for selection here.
Our board selects artists based on feedback we get from our loyal audiences as to the instruments and line-ups, which they like. The board meets at the end of each season to review the success of each concert and to consider what to put on the following year. Solo piano is always popular but duos and trios with a variety of instruments are always included in each season in order to provide variety. This season for example, we will have Ronald and Avis Romm performing on classical piano and trumpet. That unusual chamber music medium of trumpet and piano will be a first for our concerts.
We are pleased that a number of artists who have performed here have gone on to much greater things, Chee Yun, the violinist and the Ahn Trio comes readily to mind.
We cooperate with neighboring islands and most of the Classics performances held at Tillett Gardens go on to St. John and Tortola. This enables a wider audience to enjoy these performances and also allows us to share some of the costs of the performances. When we first started we did combine with St. Croix who have since gone on to provide excellent concert series for their Cruzan audiences.
Costs
These concerts cost an average of $700 each. We are fortunate that we have a number of generous sponsors who have consistently supported the concerts over the years.
Major Generous Sponsors Past And Present
Bolongo
Marriott Frenchman's Reef
Renaissance Grand Beach Resort
Holiday Inn
Wyndham Sugar Bay
American Airlines
Posser ICC Foundation
Heineken
Birch deJongh Hindels & Hall
ISW Studios
Ackley Media Group
Global Financial Strategies, LLC
Peter & Patricia Gruber Foundation
NEA
Mid-Atlantic Arts
Romano’s Restaurant
We also receive a grant from the VI Council on the Arts (VICA) who has supported us from the beginning. This combination of financial help enables us to keep the ticket prices to what we hope is an affordable level and bridge the gap between the income from ticket sales and the actual costs. The mission of the board is to provide access to art; we are not a profit making organization.
We could also not do these concerts without the help of a number of volunteers who help with the many logistical details involved in staging these concerts.
What Is Ahead For Arts Alive?
The Board wishes to continue and expand these fine programs and add others. The long rang goals of the foundation are to give every child in the Virgin Islands the opportunity to hear good music and to meet successful musicians who can be an example of what is possible in a musical career. The board is also in the planning stages of reviving the Classical Music competition for students.
Arts Alive needs sponsorship for the infrastructure as well as for presenting costs.
The Arts Alive board is ready for new and fresh ideas.
Arts Alive is here to serve the Virgin Islands Community.
How Can I Help Arts Alive?
Be a volunteer
We need ushers for concerts, distributors for our marketing materials and posters. We are also looking for a professional or gifted fundraiser. We are always pleased to have new, hard working, board members.
Be a Season Ticket Holder
Buy tickets for the season and invite your friends. Purchase a Corporate Table for the season (or persuade someone else to), use it for business entertainment, your clients will be delighted. Purchase tickets for the season and organize a draw at the office giving the winner two tickets for each concert.
Become a Sponsor
Any amount of $1000 or more will give you special privileges.
Contact
340.776.8566
artsalive@tillett.net
Lynn Berry, Executive Director
