|
|
The fundamental Premise within this document, is that Patronage of
the Arts is a spiritual act, which one performs for the sake of
betterment of both self and society.
I'll attempt to illustrate how I believe people should regard
patronage of the arts, via example drawn from my personal experience.
I made an attempt at setting up & being "M.C." for an
"Open Stage" event at a local hotel called "The Gateway
Lodge". The business arrangement I set up with them was that
they wouldn't need to pay me for my services. Their role was that
they were hosting the Open Stage event, via providing the
facilities for a regularly scheduled public and artistic gathering
which otherwise might not be happening. I called the event, the
"Scruffy Eagle's Open Stage". It was my hope that if
successful, it would become a self-supporting endeavor; able to
reimburse me for my investments in equipment it required. So, my
intention was that I was merely providing the seed-money required
to obtain the minimum level of equipment necessary to conduct such
an event. Being of such low income, I needed that seed-money to be
repaid into my personal bank account (if possible). I placed a box
marked "Scruffy Eagle's Equipment Fund" on a table near
the stage area, and made mention of it occasionally. (How could
anyone know it was there, if I didn't?) As such, none of the money
which went into "Scruffy Eagle's Equipment Fund" could be
considered income for me until after the seed-money has been
repaid in full. If & when that blessed event ever happened, the
labeling on the donations box would have changed to become something
else (it was never decided, exactly what). Until I was repaid, I was
able to consider myself to be a "Patron of the Arts", having
donated my time and resources for the sake of promoting an avenue
for artistic expression in public view, for the benefit of society.
I intended for my primary role in the Open Stage event to be that
of a manager; i.e., the "Master of Ceremonies"
("M.C.") for the event. Unfortunately, the advertising I
was promised by the management of the restaurant in the Gateway Lodge,
was never delivered - and, the musicians in the area never had the
chance to discover the venue. During the four or five Friday nights I
conducted the event, the only other people who made use of the equipment
were a couple of young kids who were out for dinner with their parents.
I didn't intend for it to be "The Scruffy Eagle Show" - but,
that's what it became, as I played my guitar and sang alone on stage
each night. I'd wanted it to be a public avenue of expression for the
musical talents of people who otherwise wouldn't have such a thing, but
that never happened. The reality, is that the management of the
Gateway Lodge's restaurant never really had any intention of providing
what they'd promised during the original negotiations - and, instead
tricked me into providing entertainment services free of charge during
the month they didn't have the room rented to private parties. (Shame,
on them.)
I still possess the equipment I purchased for the endeavor, carefully
packed away for maintaining pristine state, in case I'm ever able to
discover another opportunity to attempt starting up an Open Stage event.
If a time ever comes when conducting an Open Stage event results in my
having been repaid for its equipment in full, and I actually draw
some income from the event, then my status as "Patron of the Arts"
would become no longer be valid - unless, of course, I discover/develop
some other avenue for the sake of retaining that status.
Anyone and everyone who donated into the "Scruffy Eagle's
Equipment Fund" may consider themselves to have been a
"Patron of the Arts", having contributed to promoting the
provision of an avenue for artistic expression in public view, for
the sake of society. Those who contributed, but no longer find some
avenue of contributing to the performing arts, may only consider
themselves to have been a "Patron of the Arts" at some
point in the past. The point of this, is that just as the
artistic expressions occurring on the stage have an essentially
fleeting nature (the beauty happens, gets experienced, then becomes
memories), so does the status of being a "Patron of the Arts".
To retain that worthy and noble status as being currently accurate,
one must continue to contribute to the just cause of promoting artistic
expression.
Human experience is a fleeting thing. We experience things, remember
them, and share the memories with each other. But, cold logic can't
encompass the entirety of the human experience, and neither can unadorned
emotion. We need both as tools, because our experiences contain both.
This is where the Arts come in - the Arts are a vehicle for the conveyance
of complex experiences via both logic and emotion. Modern civilization
relies heavily on mechanization, to get things done, for the sake of efficiency
of effort - but, innate emotional responses rebel at constrainment to the
dictates and limitations of logic. A healthy society needs to be able
to share information amongst its members in a manner which includes usage of
both aspects of psyche; i.e., a healthy society needs free expression
via the Arts which have been developed by its members. Modern society, which
relies so heavily on mechanization, has its value rated via measures of
efficiency. The return of value from endeavors of the Arts is virtually
impossible to quantify for the sake of efficiency reports - yet, is so
important that it can't be neglected, or society as a whole will suffer.
Faced with this quandry, the workers within governments make their best
effort at balancing the demands of social necessity against the constraints
of economic efficiency. Sadly, this set of compromises always result in the
Arts being under-funded. The only way society's need for the Arts can be met,
given this situation, is via contributions of personal time, effort, and resources
from indivduals. Not everyone can contribute into all three categories I've
listed,... But, any contribution is a worthy one. Not everyone is capable of
applying the methods of the creative Arts - but, those who lack artistic
capabilities can contribute time, effort, and resources - and, those
who recognize the value and necessity for the presence of the creative Arts,
and make charitable contributions to support such endeavors, are the
"Patrons of the Arts". They should be honored, as such.
IN CONCLUSION
I hope you've enjoyed my little discussion about "Patronage
Of The Arts". If I discover at some point that I've got more
to say about it, I'll add it onto this page. To cop a quote
from Red Skelton: "Goodnight, and God bless!"
~~~
Scruffy Eagle
~~~
|
|
|
|
|
|