Wilson Butler Architects (WBA)’s Post

Quotes of the Day: 1. "The arts nurture the human spirit, reflect the human condition for us and, at their best, allow us moments in which we can transcend the limitations of our own points of view and see the world anew." --This is what makes art so necessary for all, but so dangerous to a few. 2. "In the context of the federal budget, the funds required for a theatrical bailout are pocket change: For the fiscal year of 2024, the Biden administration requested $211 million for the N.E.A., or about 63 cents for every person who lives in the United States. By contrast, Arts Council England plans to distribute roughly $10 for every person in England. The N.E.A. must also once again be celebrated as an essential national organ that keeps the country’s cultural life alive." --The federal and state abdication of funding the arts is shameful. The proportional investment is small, but the return on that investment can be immense and is measured not just in dollars but in spirit--giving time, space, voice, and vision to those who have for so long been straining to be seen and heard.

Check out this article featuring my work on Exception to the Rule with The Front Porch Arts Collective! https://lnkd.in/eMq7y72N

Check out the collaboration CRUX Technology and Security Solutions were able to provide for Mansfield ISD. 🎭 Elevating Performances with the Right AV Equipment! 🎬 As we continue to celebrate the magic of the performing arts, it's crucial to acknowledge the pivotal role that state-of-the-art Audio-Visual (AV) equipment plays in creating unforgettable experiences. 🎶🎥 🌟 Unparalleled Immersion: Imagine being transported into a different world, where every note resonates crystal clear and every visual element is showcased in stunning detail. The right AV equipment transforms a regular performance into an immersive masterpiece, captivating the audience's senses and leaving them spellbound. 🔊 Crystal Clear Acoustics: In the heart of any performing arts center, impeccable sound quality reigns supreme. The perfect harmony of audio elements enhances the emotive power of live performances, ensuring that every whispered dialogue, crescendo, and thunderous applause is heard with utmost clarity. 🎨 Visual Spectacle: From intricately designed stage setups to larger-than-life projections, visual storytelling is taken to new heights with cutting-edge AV equipment. Lighting, projections, and displays work in tandem to create captivating visual narratives that resonate with the audience on a profound level. 💡 Technical Precision: Behind the scenes, the right AV equipment empowers performers, technicians, and directors to bring their creative visions to life with precision. Seamless integration of technology minimizes disruptions, allowing the focus to remain solely on the artistry unfolding on stage. 🚀 Elevating Talent: Just as a painter needs the finest brushes and a writer requires the perfect pen, artists thrive when they have the right tools at their disposal. The right AV equipment empowers performers to unleash their full potential, pushing the boundaries of creativity and leaving audiences awestruck. 📈 Attracting Audiences: In today's digitally connected world, word travels fast. A high-quality performing arts center equipped with top-tier AV infrastructure not only delights existing patrons but also becomes a magnet for new audiences seeking extraordinary cultural experiences. Let's continue championing the arts by investing in the right AV equipment. Together, we can cultivate an environment where performances transcend the ordinary and venture into the realm of the extraordinary. Here's to a future where technology and artistry coalesce, enriching our lives through shared moments of beauty and inspiration. 🎉🎭 #PerformingArtsExcellence #AVTechnology #ArtistryUnleashed #UnforgettableExperiences

California’s live performing arts sector lost a decade’s worth of job growth due to pandemic-induced challenges. Theaters across the state — especially smaller and nonprofit community organizations — are still struggling with low audience attendance and elevated operating costs. State and local governments could see a combined loss of $4.1 billion in tax revenues over the next four years if current trends continue. The economic activity generated by the performing arts is often undervalued, and economic development strategies that lack a strong focus on the sector are overlooking significant growth opportunities. For deeper insights on the role of the performing arts in revitalizing California’s communities, read our recent study produced in collaboration with the Theatre Producers of Southern California, Actors' Equity Association, Arts for LA, and Californians For The Arts.   Read the report: https://lnkd.in/g3ZKRTd9

🎭 Innovation Meets Art: The Marvel that is PAC NYC 🏗️ As someone passionate about the intersection of culture, art, and community building, I was thrilled to learn about the soon-to-open Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC). Located at the World Trade Center site, this architectural marvel is more than just a venue; it's a symbol of resilience and the transformative power of art. 👏 Mike Bloomberg: A Visionary Leader What makes this even more special to me is discovering that Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of NYC, has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition. As the chairman of The PAC, he has generously donated $130 million and has been a pivotal force in revitalizing Lower Manhattan, an area I call home. His vision goes beyond mere philanthropy; it's about creating lasting, meaningful change. 🏙️ The Bigger Picture The PAC NYC serves as an integral part of the World Trade Center's rebuilding efforts, contributing to the area's cultural richness and community spirit. The center is expected to open its doors later this month, and I personally can't wait to experience the magic it promises. 🤔 A Provocative Question for Thought Could cultural landmarks like the Perelman Performing Arts Center be the catalysts we need to rejuvenate the struggling commercial real estate market in NYC? What ripple effects could such centers have on urban economic vitality? #PAC #NYC #MikeBloomberg #CulturalRevival #Manhattan #art #CommercialRealEstate #economicdevelopment #landmark #philantrophy #Leadership #architecture #visionary #ImpactInvestment

Re/GeNeraTioN An Afro-Futuristic exhibition invites us to reimagine time, birth, life, and death. The work is an intersection with black cultural, spiritual and political practices and experiences. The exhibit reconceptualizes reproduction by aligning black hair as a vehicle to transport knowledge, history, and life narratives. The Re/GeneraTioN evolution carries ancestors’ adversities, epiphanies, and jubilation across visible and invisible terrains. These pathways hold memory yet invite and demand forward progression. How do our bodies move through time, dimensions, and spaces? What propels our spirits and keeps us moving as we coexist with the horrific and dehumanizing abuses of systematic oppressions? How do we navigate movement with memory borne from vexed realities while pressing into the now and having control of our futures? Black hair is magical. On the surface it’s dead but deep within our bodies each strain holds a connection to stories, mysteries, codes, self-concept, discovery, and songs of survival. Black hair has found its way to rituals and rites of passages. If wooly coils could speak, what would they say? Simply put, black hair has its own center and centeredness.

Love a morning when the first post is something incredibly relevant! Find the full study referenced in the article here: https://lnkd.in/gVJ9CpAH ________ Stand out quote: "Many companies are now experimenting with new models, for both political and practical reasons. There is a new interest in horizontal/collective leadership models, and more skepticism about traditional organizational and compensation structures. " We're seeing changes to structures that haven't been touched in decades out of necessity. Many performing arts groups are trying to get back to pre-pandemic audience levels by doing what worked before. But the audiences spend differently now and there’s little research as to what for sure works. New ideas need to be tried. But the only way you can do that successfully is to have a company efficient and flexible enough to handle multiple inter-departmental changes. With Pivote, you’ll end up with a company workflow so optimized and clear that you can adjust it with ease - no matter what external changes occur. 

The question that keeps Artistic Directors up at night? Yes, the box office reports. Yes, the fundraising target. Yes, staff wellbeing. But you might be surprised to hear that the question that’s been keeping our Secret Artistic Director up at night recently is: Am I too mainstream? And so it should. Because it’s a great question. As Artistic Directors, one of the many things we need to keep in balance is creative risk with broad appeal. So we should be soul-searching at six in the morning* asking ourselves: Are we here to push the boundaries of artistic expression or are we here to entertain and enrich people's lives? The answer of course, has to be both. But good Artistic Directors, the best ones in my view, never stop asking. #theatre #artisticdirectors

Great to see the Boch Center in Boston as one of the examples in this article about post-pandemic arts innovations.

"In peacebuilding, the performing arts serve as embodied metaphors on multiple levels. Not only do they metaphorically speak into our inner lives creating spaces of imagination, but they also move us into experiencing and interacting with one another." Read more in this piece, "The Art of Peacebuilding in a Divided World" from Fuller Studio: https://buff.ly/4acUySy