Hear Hear!!!
Mimi
-----Original Message-----
From: Tennessee Presenters, Board & Agents [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Buster Irvin
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 4:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Annual Meeting Update
I would just like to add my second to Bob letter and the hard work he
has done this year. It is hard to imagine that we have come so far in a
year's time. I think it show commitment on everyone's part to make this
work. This is not just the Bob Boyer and Buster Irvin THING it belongs
to all of us. It was wonderful to see everyone at the meeting
participate in the discussions. We are very fortunate to have some one
of Bob's drive and also 2 months off to keep things going. Bob you are
just GREAT.
Thanks
Charles(Buster) Irvin
Concert & Touring Administrator
Cumberland County Playhouse
P.O.Box 484
Crossville, TN 38557
Phone: 931-484-4324, ext 226
Fax: 931-484-6299
-----Original Message-----
From: Tennessee Presenters, Board & Agents [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Robert Boyer
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 4:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Annual Meeting Update
Thanks to everyone for making the trip Monday to participate in our
first annual meeting! A couple of thanks in particular to: Mimi
Shimmin, who graciously hosted us at an exceedingly cool pre-civil war
mansion that Metro Parks owns, Larry Kosson of SMG Artists for his
insights - and the beer, and to Lee Warren for the donation of her
fingertips. She had to have worn every finger down to the first knuckle
the way she was pounding on the keyboard trying to keep notes on our
brainstorming efforts.
For those of you unable to attend, please check out the report in the
news section of the website (bookmark www.tnpresenters.org right now
while you're thinking about it!) and go to for a more detailed report
at:
http://www.tnpresenters.org/news(detail).php?resourcesid=2
The short story is that after a lot of thought and discussion on the
part of each and every one of us in attendance, we didn't quite do a
180 degree turn from how most folks think a presenting consortium goes
about its business, but we adjusted our thinking pretty significantly
based on our mutually agreed-upon needs. The bottom line is that we are
going to try to hold down the costs associated with our planned
activities by trying to keep as much information and operations online
as possible and by combining functions at our meetings.
The effort is going to be two-pronged: 1) add as much information and
functionality as we can imagine (and is technically possible) to the
website and our listserves and 2) combine meeting functions to hold
down on production and travel costs when we do get together. Instead of
a big showcase conference every other year, we'll have a smaller, one
day showcase conference coupled to a booking conference and we'll hold
them at member's venues across the state instead of renting space in
trade centers. Hopefully, these initiatives will keep us from
increasing our budgets and worrying about funding so much that we lose
sight of what we're really supposed to be providing for our members:
block booking opportunities and access to each other.
J Noble of the TAC (yea, J!) has graciously offered to rework our venue
and series survey (which I e-mailed to all of you a couple of months
ago in its raw form) and Bonnie MacDonald in Kingsport has offered to
spearhead the drive to collect all of the information which we will be
asking you to provide about your venue. When we get everything
together, we'll get it up on the website so, in addition to our
programming information, we can get a feel for what types of programs
might work in which venues. Simultaneously, member agents will be
adding their rosters to the website so we might quickly ascertain some
of the acts which are out there.
We're also going to be surveying members for their particular interests
and areas of expertise and posting that information. We are hoping to
be able to use these "experts" to help members by providing additional
programming information we might not otherwise be able to obtain as
well as providing a general pool of expertise about operations,
marketing, sponsorships, and a host of other informational needs we all
share.
We're going to try to organize a formal process to easily enable
members to attend each other's performances as the need may arise to
see an act first-hand before making a booking decision.
This is just the beginning. The only limit to what we can accomplish is
our own imagination. If you see a need, or have an idea, post it to the
list. We started a list of action items at the meeting for us to
accomplish and we want your continued input so that list continues to
drive our thinking.
While we're not quite done lurching from one organizational issue to
another, we're finally getting to the point where we can start figuring
out what we want to be when we grow up...and that's exciting. I'm
looking forward to the journey with everyone here.
Bob
Robert Boyer
Patten Performances Director
UTC Fine Arts Center
www.utc.edu/finearts
423.425.4379
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