Guest Artist Committee

Every year, members of the staff and faculty of the Department of Theatre Arts form a committee to provide support for members of the department to bring guests to campus. I have had the privilege of chairing that committee for two years. Our guests have represented the full range of performing arts careers. I was thrilled to host visits by Donna Walker Kuhne, Barnaby Evans and Marty Ashby.

DONNA WALKER-KUHNE

On April 19th, 2007, Audience Diversification expert Donna Walker-Kuhne spoke to 3 classes of IC students about the importance of marketing to diverse audiences. President of Walker International Communications Group since 1984, she conducts seminars and workshops while providing marketing consultation services to arts organizations, performing and visual artists, dance companies, Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. IC students found her visit valuable as it provided a real-world application to what they had been learning in their studies. Carly DiFulvio ’07 commented that “suddenly what I had read so much about arts marketing clicked as she delved through her own experiences and offered advice and wisdom into the heavily mined field of marketing the arts to a diverse audience.” She goes on to say that her visit “was worthwhile because it exposed many students who got the opportunity to meet her or attend her speech to a topic not often addressed.” Whitney Kaiser ’08 found inspiration in what Walker-Kuhne had to offer, saying “She also gave us some great ideas to implement for [American Marketing Association] next year including how we can reach out to a variety of different groups in our marketing efforts.”

BARNABY EVANS

On March 4, 2010, Barnaby Evans visited Ithaca College. Evans is a conceptual artist and photographer, who is the creator of the public art event “WaterFire,” as well as the artistic director of the organization that supports the artwork, an immense undertaking held several times a year in downtown Providence, R.I.

Evans presented at two classes: “Promotion and Publicity for the Performing Arts” and “Producing for the Theatre.” The week before Evans’ visit, I suggested students prepare themselves for the visit by looking at the WaterFire website and focus their reflection on questions they would like to ask him. Here are some of their submissions:

Having the entire thing run by volunteers is an enormous feat to achieve. It truly brings the community together and creates something powerful. Not to mention from a marketing point of view, to have that many people involved with it would create a sensational amount of work of mouth. People would want to come not only to see WaterFire but also to support their neighbors and friends who are involved with it.

This installation is longer just an art piece. It has become a part of the culture of where it is located. The installation is public. It can be seen from a sidewalk, and not in an art gallery. This has opened the event up to more than just a piece of art, it is now a jumping off points for music, weddings, and memorials. It is engrained in the culture of the city

Evans’ visit was extremely successful as evidenced by the reflections the students wrote following his visit.

When you decide to create and continue to run a unique event like WaterFire, there is no handbook on how to do it. He needs to have the know how and creativity and business skills to go out and always be finding sponsors while still keeping it an artistic event and preventing it from becoming too corporate. It was a big shock to learn how much press this event has gotten, yet he still has trouble obtaining a large amount of government funds. I can see myself getting frustrated by that. I found it very interesting that he knows he will have to pass it on at some point but right now he is very hands on every with every component of the event. WaterFire is so “Barnaby” yet it is larger then any one person and he acknowledges that. I just think his organization is unique and so interesting to learn about. It seems like a very rewarding yet a very hard and challenging job.

Professor Branneman had this to say about Evans’ visit to her “Producing” class:

Barnaby Evans was one of the most inspiring guests I have had in class. As a true visionary, he demonstrated to students the limitless possibilities they can achieve in their communities balancing a creative, artistic life with pragmatic management skills. He brought energy, enthusiasm, and humor to important topics like festival liability and crowd insurance that can sometimes be tedious even for arts administrators. Through true-life anecdotes from his experience managing WaterFire, he discussed most of the topics I cover in the Producing Theatre course syllabus.

I was gratified that Evans was also able to extend his visit to campus with a meeting with a group of Ithacans looking to develop the area known as the inlet, south from Cayuga Lake. The group is interested in incorporating a vision of public art to animate the area and Evans was able to offer some inspirational words as well as pragmatic advice.

MARTY ASHBY

Marty Ashby visited Ithaca College on April 24th, 2008. Ashby is Executive Producer of MCG Jazz, a social enterprise supporting the programs of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG), a nonprofit organization located in Pittsburgh, PA.

Marty presented at two classes: “Promotion and Publicity for the Performing Arts” and “Producing for the Theatre.” In addition, he had lunch with two students and two professors particularly interested in theatre for social change as described and taught by Augusto Boal. The week before Marty’s visit, I suggested students prepare themselves for the visit by looking at the Manchester Craftsmen Guild website and focus their reflection on questions they would like to ask him. Here is an example of what they wrote:

I am particularly interested in the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild because it seems to be devoted to the powerful impact that the arts can have on a community. There website seems to indicate success in economic stimulus, educational improvement, and community pride. I am also quite interested by how the Guild has incorporated arts with vocational development and the proliferation of social entrepreneurship. Clearly they do not believe that art should be shuffled off into a corner to be enjoyed by itself, but see the value of art mixed with life to create the most complete experience for all who participate in it.

Marty’s visit was extremely successful as evidenced by the reflections the students wrote following his visit. I think his visit had particular relevance because he is an alumnus of IC’s School of Music. He referenced his undergraduate experience here and how it impacted his career path.

I want to work for one of the arts and technology centers that are being planned across the country. When he started talking about the MCG, I realized that it was everything I ever wanted to do with the arts, I just didn't know it until he said it.
~graduating senior

First off, I just wanted to express how amazing Marty Ashby was. He is definitely my favorite guest speaker I’ve ever seen at Ithaca College. So captivating he was that I hung on his every word. His passion and dedication was so obvious and true that it made me long to work for his organization. I’ve never thought of myself to be the kind of person who wants to work in non-profit organizations, but Marty Ashby changed my mind. I love that he took action and taught himself all the other performing arts so that he could wholly understand arts administration, not solely jazz and I love that he went out and got himself the job. He also has a vested interest in the entire MCG organization, not simply the jazz program, and he cares about every element that goes into the program’s success. Marty also just seemed like an honest, nice guy and I was touched when he said that he hoped to work with all of us some day. Marty was a great inspiration, so thank you for bringing him in. ~junior

Marty Ashby was one of my favorite speakers I have heard to date. He was very much professional, but could crack jokes and be funny when it was called for. What struck me was how he looks at art for our sake, not art for art’s sake. Often when I hear the term art for art’s sake I turn off immediately. I am not one to be into experimental theatre or music. I love that though the center of Ashby’s work was Jazz music, it was the music that was a tool for change. He does not want to change the music, but he wants to change people with the music.
~sophomore

Having Marty Ashby come and talk in our class was a great experience. The Manchester Craftsman Guild seems like an amazing organization that is doing so much good in the world. The actual program itself, combined with Marty’s passion made his presentation truly inspirational. It made me want to go out and help people, too. It is assuring to see that there are people who are really enjoying their lives and their jobs and it makes me feel better about the prospect of my future. I always worry about what my life will be like and seeing Marty Ashby becoming so successful at what he loves to do makes me feel so much better. ~sophomore

Marty discussed how the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild betters society through the use of art. This school gives many underprivileged individuals the opportunity to get an education in the arts. Many of the public schools near the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild contain students who come from low income families. Marty said that there is a huge percentage of students who do not even graduate from high school. Marty claimed that the high percentage was largely based on how the schools were treating the students, not on the students’ abilities to obtain a higher level of education. The Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild sounds like a fabulous way to help change society.

To me, it is extremely important to use the arts to make a social change. The arts are unique in the fact that they have the incredible ability to bring out strong emotions in people. Art can not only be used to bring out an emotional change in individuals, but it can also send powerful, influential messages. When students are given the chance to experience the arts, it can change their whole mind set about the world. The arts can be used to help inspire these individuals to get an education. After graduation, I am very interested in finding a career in the arts that can help benefit society as a whole.

Marty said that the MC Jazz performs several free shows for students. He showed us pictures of the students’ enthusiastic faces as they watched the concert. Not only is this a great way to enrich children’s lives, but it also helps expose them to the arts at a young age. It can serve as a form of art education and help inspire those individuals to attend arts events in the future.
~sophomore