There and back again: I GOT THE TICKET!!!!!

Since I currently am broadening my horizon and expect that not only Dutch people will read what I have to zay, I will continue posting in English. Isince this is my second language, I could do with a little help on my grammar. Please, feel free to give me pointers in the Reactions section or by email, whichever suits you best.

Now, how about a status update:

I GOT THE TICKET!!!!!

Thank you all so much! I will be leaving April 26 and be back on May 6. I will harass organizations, catch some sun, post lots of pictures and generally show my face in the New Orleans community. "Hear ye! Hear ye! The Dutch guy has arrived!"

So far, I sent some emails to the following organizations, hoping they will be able to help me in my quest: The New Orleans Fringe, the Contemporary Arts Center (Which sounded to me somewhat like the Eindhoven TAC, not only in name but also in ideas and mission), the New Orleans Arts Council,

The Fringe is a Theater (arts) festival that is based upon the (original) Fringe festival in Ireland. Eight performing groups were excluded from another festival in Dublin but decided they would perform anyway. They found inexpensice venues on the fringe of Dublin and just went ahead.
The New Orleans Fringe states in its mission that it " nurtures emerging and established performing artists by presenting fun, fearless and affordable theater to the community and creating ties between artists, audiences, businesses and local organizations." (excerpt from http://www.nofringe.org/mission.html) Their mission and vision on art and the cultural economy really speaks to me. It differs from most Dutch arts festivals in that the Fringe triest to be a bridge, or platform, between the community consisting of art users on one end and the performers and artists looking for audiences on the other. In the Netherlands, a gap has appeared between cultural providers and their audiences whereas ties with money providers such as the government were more prudent.

The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is a exhibition space that also provides in performing arts from jazz to theater companies and back. In their mission and vision they state that they " are nationally recognized as a leader in the presentation and support of contemporary arts, artists and emerging art forms. In doing so, [the CAC] will explore and involve the diverse cultures of our communities." (excerpt from: http://www.cacno.org/about.html) OUR communities. So they also place their communities in the heart of their mission, rather than the importance, or implicit value of the displayed and performed art in itself. They link it to what really matters; the communities they serve.


(...)
(To be continued)