CULTURAL ALLIANCE'S MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

JOAN'S BLOG. . . . . .

Use your Cultural Alliance Member benefits today!

Previous blogs have talked about the benefits members receive from the Cultural Alliance.  Arts and cultural organizations, as well as individual artists, can reap the rewards of the membership benefits when they join the Cultural Alliance. 

Programs and workshops, which offer discount fees to members, are geared to their needs.  This year, the programs include a Help Desk with Virginia Tourism during which arts organizations can have a private meeting with the representatives from the Virginia Tourism office to discuss how to grow and market their organization or business in Virginia; a SCORE workshop with the business representatives of SCORE (Society of Retired Executives) to assist with the business side of the organization (finance, marketing, technology, etc.) and an arts conference for individual artists focusing on the Business of Being an Artist! 

As an advocacy group, the Alliance is working to help our state's elected officials see the value of the arts; but we also find that much work is needed by local arts and cultural organizations and individual artists in  this effort.  Therefore, the Alliance is sponsoring an Advocacy workshop in September to help arts groups develop strategies and procedures for meeting with and talking with the elected officials and presenting them their "stories" and how they impact on the arts in our state.

Additional benefits such as our website--on which members can add their activities, job openings, and any information that they want the public to know; use of the bulk mail permit when doing large mailings to their patrons and subscribers and the awards program that pays recognition to those in the arts.

Join the Alliance today by visiting our website and start using the membership benefits today! 

Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads Partnership with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)

Joan's Blog. . . .

Grow your Arts and Cultural Organization -- Use the

Services of SCORE!

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Many arts organizations have experts in certain areas-- marketing, administration, and financial.  However, some of these arts and cultural groups and individual artists are not able to utilize such expertise because of their low budgets and small staffs.  This leaves some arts groups missing out on the knowledge and expertise that they need to be successful.  

 The national organization of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is an organization associated with the Small Business Administration of the US Government dedicated to the mission of assisting small businesses, one business at a time. The SCORE volunteers offer free and confidential individual counseling services as well as workshops on good business practices.  There are over 350 chapter located throughout the US; counselors are experienced in dealing with issues in both for-profit and non-profit businesses.

In the Hampton Roads area, there are  SCORE chapters  located in Norfolk, Hampton and Williamsburg.  For the location of the SCORE chapter  nearest you go to www.score.org.

The Williamsburg SCORE chapter will be presenting a workshop specifically for individual artists and for arts and cultural organizations in Hampton Roads on Wednesday, August 28 at the Charles Taylor Center in Hampton from 4-6:00.  This workshop will provide information on board development, marketing, finances and budgeting, and funding resources.  All attendees will go home with a copy of the arts business manual.  Registration for the conference can be completed by on the Cultural Alliance’s website, www.culturalli.org.  The deadline is August 23 to allow for an ample amount of materials to be available for all participants.

The Cultural Alliance is currently conducting its membership drive.  Join the Alliance today so that you can take advantage of all the programs and workshops and receive the special savings on programs for members.  Membership forms are on the www.culturalli.org website.