The Observer, September 19, 2008
Volume XLI, Issue 4
Cleveland Museum of Art targets college students with Viva! And Gala Around Town
It wasn't very long ago that the idea of letting the customer decide what they would pay for any given work of art seemed preposterous. In today's economically trying times, however, some artists, such as Radiohead and Girl Talk, have stepped forward to establish the notion of art over profit with "pay what you like" schemes. Furthering this notion and bringing it close to home, the Cleveland Museum of Art's Viva! And Gala Around Town series is pushing its own "Pay What You Can" offer for Cleveland college students.
"We tried doing this last year," said Tom Welsh, Associate Director of Music at the Cleveland Museum of Art, "But this is the first year that we're trumpeting the issue. We plan on being more proactive this time around."
The Viva! And Gala Around Town series presents annual concerts, performances, and screenings at various locations throughout Cleveland. It is assembled by Welsh, who claims responsibility for the Classical and Contemporary Music performances, Massoud Saidpour, Director of Performing Arts at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and John Ewing, Associate Director of Film.
"This is truly a mix of the highest level of world music, theater, and dance," said Welsh. "The museum has presented musical performances since 1916, but by today, Viva! And Gala has become a world class series."
The list of events ranges from screenings of classic films like To Catch a Thief, Ninotchka, and The Grand Illusion to concerts featuring traditional and modern music from areas like the Balkans and the Middle East.
The series, which was originally held in the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium, was dispersed to various venues throughout Cleveland when the auditorium closed for renovation in 2004.
"It's been a huge success after four years of presenting the events in different locations," said Welsh, "People will go to various places and discover the city that way."
This year's series features many events located within the campus boundaries. The Reinberger Chamber Hall at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Institute of Music's Mixon Hall, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's Murch Auditorium are all hosts to events in the series. Moving farther from the campus, other events will take place at the PlayhouseSquare the Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, and the Cleveland Playhouse Brooks Theatre.
"It's a win-win situation," said Welsh. "People get to explore the city and it brings love back to the museum."
The series has also become a win-win situation for college students, who can pay whatever they are able in order to attend the events. "We never want to be exclusive," said Welsh. "It's important that young people who can't necessarily afford the regular prices can still be exposed to art of such high quality."
With valid student IDs, students can pay for a concert or performance with whatever small amounts of cash they have on them. The only catch is that the events run on a first come, first serve basis, so seating for many of the events may be limited. Actual full-price ticketholders will have an advantage over students.
"It's a great way for students to experiment," said Welsh. "If someone's always wanted to see a world music show and never had the funds, well, now they can!"
Additionally, the Cleveland Museum of Art is hosting their Campus Club e-mail list, that allows students to sign up for and receive information and discounts on events.
"We know that there's an audience for this and we're hoping they'll take advantage of this opportunity," said Welsh.
Time will tell whether or not the "pay what you can" notion will work as the events in Viva! And Gala Around Town last from Oct. 18, 2008 to June 15, 2009. Still, Welsh feels optimistic and excited about the upcoming season.
"Don't miss out on this; the season will be really cool," said Welsh.
For more information, visit www.clevelandart.org.
