It's been a while....
Here we are in the last week of our regular season and there's lots to share. Most importantly we made it! It's been challenging producing events during the current stage of the pandemic. Just ask any of the performers or other arts organizations in town.
Audiences have been smaller than we hoped for, but we actually had an 9.3% increase in our Festival attendance in March. Much of this growth came from first time attendees. On the other hand, many of our members were not happy with the festival being outdoors and many others expressed lingering safety concerns with the virus.
I am particularly pleased that we have regrown our membership to 836, up 95% from the 428 members we had back in August. Another wonderful Jazz Club achievement is that we still have a chance of reaching our $30,000 Scholarship Fund goal. More about that down below.
This season has been very successful in establishing new ventures and partnerships with the Sarasota Art Museum and Nathan Benderson Park. These collaborations will continue to grow and evolve in the coming season along with other new possibilities. The club's future prospects are very exciting.
This year has also seen a number of changes on the Board. Four new members joined including Tomas Martinez, David Murphy, Michael Ross and Nik Walker. Long standing member and past president Peg Pluto resigned her position. Our dynamic Co-chairs of the Scholarship Committee, Vern and Bob Weitz, have retired from their leadership there, while remaining active committee members. Michael Ross and Louise Coogan have joined forces as the new co-chairs.
Susan Leavis will continue to coordinate our marketing efforts and the publishing of Sarasota Sounds magazine, but in the weeks to come she will step down as the club's fiscal manager.
I also must share that my relationship with the Jazz Club will also be changing. I have served as president for five years and I have one more year left to my current term. I informed the Board that I will not be continuing at the end of that year, and for a variety of personal reasons I will need to reduce my level of engagement during this remaining time. We will use the coming year as a transition period.
I have greatly enjoyed working with the Board and with all of you. I have to admit that I am tired. My stepping down over the coming year is an opportunity for the club to bring new energy to the position. There is no shortage of talent on the Board, and I have no doubts that the club's future will remain strong and exciting.
SPECIAL REQUEST!
Allow me to end this update with a personal request that you attend this Thursday night's Scholarship Fund event at Phillippi Estate Park 6-8 PM. We have a wonderful band with favorites Michael Ross on Bass, Dan Miller on Trumpet, Jean Bolduc on Drums and two fabulous students Anthony Aldissi on Keys and David Mason on Sax. Tickets are only $15. A great turn-out will help us hit our scholarship fund goals. See the Ad and Ticket link below. I really hope to see you there.
Thank you as always for your support,
Ed
