From Harford Center for the Arts:
The staff and Board of Directors for the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (CFA) invite local residents, business partners and other interested organizations to their next community meetings. The gatherings are intended to give updates on programs and construction plans for CFA, and provide attendees with the opportunity to share their input and feedback on the plans. The next meetings will be held:
· June 22 at the Jarrettsville Library, 5:00-7:00PM
· June 25 at the Joppa Library 4:00-6:00PM
Three meetings held in April offered residents from Abingdon, Havre de Grace and Bel Air the chance to hear from representatives of the Center’s staff and Board of Directors, as well as from Strategic Planner Duncan Webb. According to Center for the Arts CEO Kathy Smith, the meetings were well attended and participants were excited to learn about upcoming events and supportive of plans for CFA construction.
Smith says, “The purpose for having additional meetings is to make sure all residents have a chance to get the latest news about CFA. Establishing a consistent line of communication and connecting with the entire community is a crucial part of our quest to build a physical home for the Arts in Harford County. This is a hometown project and these “town hall” get-togethers allow CFA to share important information about our progress, while also hearing from our members, supporters and other interested parties about their goals, concerns and wishes for the CFA. We invite all area residents to take part in these important dialogues.”
Founded in 2005, the Center for the Arts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a permanent site for performance, display, and education in the arts in Harford County, Maryland. The mission of the Center for the Arts is to nurture art and artists, and positively impact the community at large by providing a broad range of experiences in music, dance, theater, visual and literary arts.
The real purpose of these meetings is to try and fool the taxpayers into paying for something they will never need or use.
I recommend you go for the caviar canapés and fine french champagne. Apparently they had nearly 2M in donations and they blow it out at parties.
If they can’t sell tix to events at that nearly new Harford Community College arena, what makes anyone think this place can be financially solvent? I an a huge proponent of the arts, but unless you are going to book Bruce Springsteen or Paul McCartney concerts in this place, it will be and remain a money pit from day 1.
I completely support funding for the arts, as long as there is a clear set of objectives, competent communication, impeccable and consistent reporting, full transparency, responsible stewardship and reporting of public and private donations, and an organization that has more than $60k in the bank after raising $ 2million. I implore all of you to take a closer look at the CFA and its history. Its embarrassing. All you need to do is understand the real version of events for yourself instead of falling for their smoke and mirrors. Please do not waste any more time or money on this crew.
Bravo Ellen!!!! You nailed it. And to whom it may concern at CFA, please post links to your financials on your website. Balance sheet and income statement (inception thru 2014, as well as your latest quarterlies). What would also help is a summary of total dollars raised since inception with a breakdown of where each dollar was spent (Salaries, consulting fees, office, etc.) What could you possibly be afraid of? Plus since you’re asking for and have received our money, you owe it to us to post it. Its the only fair thing. Don’t you agree? And if you have nothing embarrassing to hide, it will help your cause, correct?