Why I Donated My Ticket - An Interview with an Arts Patron
Time to Read: Less than 5 minutes
In the past two weeks, Arts Commons has received an incredible outpouring of support from the Calgary, and greater Canadian community. Organizations like CKUA and Redpoint Media have shared the idea of donating your ticket if you are financially able to in hopes of keeping our arts alive in Calgary, and patrons as far away as Edmonton have reached out with messages of support and love.
Calgarian, musician, educator, and long-time arts patron Helen Beach in one of these individuals who reached out to Arts Commons with her positive message of what the arts means to her. She agreed to answer a few questions to share her reason for loving the arts with fellow Calgarians.
Many Calgarians are facing huge disappointment with cancelled concerts, comedy tours, and performances. Why do you feel that it's a natural decision to donate your ticket value rather than ask for a refund?
Having grown up in a musical and literary filled family these are staples within my life. I have made my living through music and performing. I fully understand how economic fluctuations can seriously affect the livelihood of many.
Most people within the arts are independent, they have no financial safety nets other than what they can manage to save on their own. When economic, or a pandemic, affects their lives to sever their income it can be devastating. With this in mind, a gesture of good will as in donating the cost of your pre-purchased ticket, is a small but welcome action.
Arts Commons is a hub of creative stimulus for all Calgarians. “A musically cultured people is one in which ‘music belongs to everyone’ ", -Katalin Forrai, Hungarian music educator.
The intellectual growth and exploration of “brain food” from the arts is something that feeds my heart and soul – something I crave. The arts enhance a cultured people especially when we are bombarded by so many intellectually numbing influences.
I see the impact that music, and the arts in general, has on the mental engagement of one’s life, the social benefits of sharing music and theatre with others, the intellectual pursuit of discovering music, music history, music exploration. Exchange “music” for “theatre” or “visual arts” and the life enhancing impact is the same. Good comedy lightens the dark places our minds go during a time such as this.
Do you mind giving me a bit of history of your interactions with arts in Calgary in your own words? Do you subscribe to Arts Commons or any of our Resident Companies? Do you regularly attend?
Having been involved in the arts – music in particular, for my entire life I grew up watching the Calgary arts community grow. I have performed, (still do but to a lesser degree), taught and volunteered within the music community. My eldest daughter is a professional cellist who teaches and performs. My youngest daughter grew up with violin, piano, choral, and especially dance until she entered university to become a physiotherapist. Both daughters share that love with their own children. Both daughters had an art specialist in their elementary school. This has transferred to their adulthood in a love of roaming, and supporting, art galleries. The quality of their experiences as my daughters grew were to reinforce quality music and arts experiences. In turn they have an understanding of quality within the arts, a quality that Arts Commons is acutely aware and shares with our Calgary audience. It was important to me to support the CPO, Alberta Ballet, and Storybook for most of my life.
I also collect high quality children’s books. I see the engagement in the eyes of all children when I am lucky enough to read to them. For example, Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors”, a one act opera that I have regularly shared with my music school students aged 6-8. That these little children do engage and appreciate quality music is a positive force for good in the lives of not only my students but in their families as well. (The parents were able to view all my classes as I taught.)
“…often a single experience will open the soul to music for a whole lifetime.”
“To open the ear and heart of the millions to serious music is a great thing. “
“Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind…” - Zoltan Kodaly
How do you feel that the arts uplift people? Especially during difficult times?
If I may, I will share a single recent story with you. I belong to an African drumming class that meets every Friday afternoon for three hours. My group of 5-7 people have been drumming together for possibly 10 years. Two weeks ago was one of the most uplifting as we performed for ourselves a complicated rhythm called Nene. We’ve been working on this rhythm for about 5 weeks. We’re all professional people with differing careers. All were under duress due to this extreme COVID-19 situation. Our gathering (possibly the last for several weeks/months now) was a huge reprieve from life’s current trials. There was intellectual challenge, camaraderie and laughter (and chocolate.) This was a rejuvenation of our human soul, shared passion to create.
I know throughout my life from childhood to now I see the impact that music, and the arts in general, has on the mental engagement of one’s life, the social benefits of sharing music and theatre with others, the intellectual pursuit and exploration of discovering music, music history, literature.
Daily, especially now, I rely on my huge collection of CDs, my own playing (piano, singing, drumming, … and kitchen dancing.) I seek out music, books, and good comedy to detox my mind from all that is frightening and overwhelming during this worldwide pandemic.
