Harmonizing in off-key economy
Unison Arts Center, a half-mile down the road from Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, has been a community mainstay for the arts since opening in the 1970s.
Co-founder Stuart Bigley has acted as executive director for the art haven since 1980, growing the center with children”™s programs and adding more art and music venues to keep supporters of all ages actively engaged.
Since the economy soured in most industry sectors in the state, Unison is positioning itself to go in a new direction to continue being a destination for the community.
Its elaborate sculpture garden currently has more than 40 works of art on display and the renovated barn is always busy; a recent show of artists from the defunct Silvermine College in Connecticut brought together more than 40 of its graduates and their work, many of them Hudson Valley residents. Zumba, musical performances, tai chi and an extensive list of programs for all ages have kept Unison afloat in a tough economy.
“When the crash really hit in 2009, it was gut wrenching,” Bigley said. “For us, our funding cut off totally because of the way the grant program was structured. Those who started their fiscal year from January to June received their funding; those who started in July to December found themselves out of the money. We were one of them.
“The community came together and actually brought us into the black by the end of 2009. We would be remiss if we relied on that to continue.”
Unison scaled back its staff and upped the health insurance costs to the remaining employees, two full-timers and three part-timers. “The rest of our ”˜staff”™ are volunteers,” Bigley said, “and I don”™t know what we”™d do without them.”
While funding was partially restored last year, nothing can be taken for granted in a state with a $10 billion deficit to close under newly elected Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Unison”™s annual budget in 2010 was $300,000.
The community center”™s board of directors is currently conducting interviews for a new executive director, and Bigley plans to stay on as program director without pay, if that is the only way it can be achieved. “That”™s really my true calling,” Bigley said.
“Through change, comes growth,” said Bruce Pileggi of Gardiner, chair of Unison”™s board of directors. “We have some ideas of how we will keep Unison alive and thriving. We are in the process of selecting a new executive director, one that will focus on bolstering membership, fundraising and promoting the great work Unison does in the community.”
Though private donors were more than generous after the financial implosion in 2008, “You can”™t keep going back to the same well,” Pileggi said. “We are looking at several options; a merger with the Rosendale Collective is a possibility. They are actively and effectively making the Rosendale Theatre a real destination. We are drawing from the same audience of supporters and donors; for us, it would make sense to collaborate with an organization that has the same aspirations as we do. We are exploring all our options.”
Pileggi said rather than having one art center put a show on for a weekend, “a collaboration between several venues could send a play or a musical performance ”˜on the road,”™ allowing people all over the region to enjoy it. What if someone can”™t get up to Woodstock to catch a play, but would love to see it? It”™s through collaboration and consolidation we can make that happen, and it”™s a plus for the artists and for the people of the Hudson Valley. ”
Survival is key, Pileggi said. “Stuart Bigley has been amazing at coordinating events and coming up with new ideas. With a new executive director to focus on fundraising and public relations, branding Unison as a necessary and productive part of the Hudson Valley, will be an important step toward surviving and thriving.”
The Bardavon, Ulster Performing Arts Center and the Art Society of Kingston have all collaborated in order to stay a viable part of the community, Pileggi said. “Collaboration and consolidation are not just words to be tossed around, but to be engaged in for every New Yorker.”
Both Bigley and Pileggi hope the new governor will resolve the growing state deficit and make the Empire State attractive to business and, in turn, help keep the arts alive.
“It”™s a tall order,” Pileggi said. “There is only so much the governor can do, but I think many of us are hopeful that he will do what he can to effect change here … let”™s face it, he”™s got a lot of hurdles to get over. We”™ll have to hope for the best. I keep saying, ”˜It can”™t get much worse”™ ”“ and then it does. So I”™ll remain cautiously optimistic.”
Unison”™s recent yard sale, which was scheduled for this past weekend, is “another way we raise funds for the organization,” Bigley said. “We do whatever we can do to keep Unison going and growing. We are hoping the new administration will be a positive turning point for everyone, not just those in the arts and cultural sector, but in every sector of the state.”