After months of preparation of a decent business plan, second to talking extensively (2012) to the former Arts Council's rep for Bedfordshire, UK, and an exhaustive budget to support the plan, several emails to engage venues, postcards and letters to potential sponsors, I have spoken recently to the new Beds rep (after many changes and cuts in the Council itself) and, I must admit, it's been a very inspiring telephone call!
I found myself jotting down more and more tips on how to meet the criteria to be eligible for a grant, with the feeling that all my work of the previous months was just "not good enough"! While this woman talked about demonstrating, I had an epiphany, like I was struck by a lightening bolt...
I don't care about demonstrating anything to anyone, with all this demonstrating I lost track of the real vibe of the whole project: this is not about quantifying how good the plan is, it's all about QUALITY!
It's the effort put into the project to convey a message to the audience through diverse means of performance, it's about having fun, creating and maintaining a network of artists in a town, it's about employing the Performing Arts to engage a community, it's about being creative... Duh! I almost forgot all about this...
To summarise, I'm very, very happy to say that I'm dropping the application for a grant for the time being (even invited the representative to see the performance we have scheduled in summer, but she'll be on maternity leaves!) and, before I told the World, I have informed all my fellow artists who, believing in this project, are happy to support it to the end - which makes me happier! So, I'm confident in writing that this journey starts... NOW!
I know, You're all worried about the money... Well, don't be, I can assure You that there is no reason to worry about money anymore! I do have a story to tell You but my time's up right now, so I have to go (as it is in my [writing] style), so You'll have to wait until next time...
Bye!
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