Excellent article! Classic example of why we need a healthy investigative press! To keep our government serving the common good. Let's not change how we manage the PAC - we're already doing a good job!
Thank you for an excellent article. Tulsa's arts organizations are undervalued assets. Instead of endangering the future viability of local performing arts, the city actually should be capitalizing on the economic and civic benefits of Tulsa's rich cultural resources. With its well-deserved reputation for the quality of its visual and performing arts, Tulsa could be joining forward-looking cities across the world that recognize the fundamental importance of the role of the arts in the economic health of the their cities. These cities ensure that the arts are an integral part of a city's vision and planning. Now is a time to make the arts part of Tulsa's overall development strategy, not a time to risk their future and Tulsa's ability to compete in a changing and challenging environment. Joan Seay
In response to “Look Before You Leap, Mr. Mayor” in the June 17-23 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)
Once again Jaime Jamieson has proven that not only is he an astute businessman and a supporter of the local arts scene, but that he has a positive vision for Tulsa. Let the city and SMG use the BOK and the convention center for large (and hopefully profitable) events. Allow the non-profit Tulsa arts organizations to have stable, low priced and even subsidized venues such as the Multi-Theatre PAC stages. Tulsa individuals and foundations have demonstrated great support for local artists; don’t muddy those efforts with short term political grandstanding.
Mr. Jamison speaks wisdom, deep, thoughtful and insightful wisdom. Turning over management of a valued community resource such as our PAC to a "for-profit" business group (no matter the quality of the business) initiates a process that sets the stage for a domino effect of tragedy for our arts community. Our youth, as our future, will suffer the long term consequences for what may seem to be immediate gains. This would seem to fall in the category of penny wise.....and pound (or ton?) foolish. Please, Mr. Mayor and dedicated decision-maker, don't gamble on this one.
Privatizing the PAC is a bad idea. Giving the PAC to SMG is an even worse idea. It will destroy local arts jobs if the Mayor has his way. The PAC was developed to support local arts, which makes Tulsa a more desirable city for the citizens and potential businesses and industries. All the money everyone donates to the arts to make Tulsa a cultural jewel will be wasted if the profit making SMG is handed this job. Sure they will bring in acts...out of town acts...that take their profits out of Tulsa, and that pay non-Tulsans who leave town when the show is over.
Years before the BOK Center or ONEOK Field existed local arts groups were committed to reviving downtown Tulsa. Their staunchest allies have been the PAC the PAC Trust and local downtown merchants. Those non-profits inside the 244 corridor have also had to pay the so called “not really an extra tax on downtown business ” tax as well, adding additional strain to their very existence. Why wouldn’t SMG just fill the PAC with out-of- town shows to small to put in the massive venues they already manage? Local arts organizations worked very hard decades ago to get the Tulsa Performing Arts Center built and now face the possibility of having it pulled out from under them. Events may bring people downtown but the culture and diversity that local business and local arts provide gets people to live downtown. No one lives by Brookside or Cherry Street because it all franchised. It’s not a sound business to let one company Walmartize 70% of our downtown entertainment venues.
Thank you, Mr. Jamieson, for representing so well the positions and concerns of Tulsa's Performing Arts Community regarding the possible privatization of the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. As President of Tulsa Opera, I agree with your assessment of the possible risks to Tulsa's Performing Arts organizations as well as the detrimental effects this could have on the City of Tulsa as a whole. Tulsa has many fine amenites that make Tulsa stand out as an attractive, vital community. Utmost among these amenities is the quality and quantity of Tulsa's excellent performing arts organizations which are crucial to sustaining and improving the quality of life that all Tulsan's deserve. Elizabeth Geer Palmieri
I have lived in Tulsa for over 30 years. The PAC in its present form is one of the crown jewels of the city. Jamie has clearly described how important to the people of Tulsa (and of NE Oklahoma) will be the need to retain the present form of management for the PAC. Imagine the thoughts of all those who have contributed to the PAC over the years: all those contributions would be used as a profit base for SMG. It is time to gather the village folk with their torches and pitchforks and make a trip up to the castle to destroy this monster of an idea.
I am an actor who moved to Tulsa a few years back. I was working in Los Angeles for nearly eight years, before that Chicago for ten. The possibility for this town to be exciting and effective artistically is very real!! The artistic work generated here is amazing. I truly hope our Mayor can see this and is willing to fight as hard as we, the artists who selflessly present the work, are to keep it in Tulsa!!
Well said, Jamie. We need more people to understand the very important qualitative difference between the Performing Arts and consumer-driven, for-profit entertainment.
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Re: Look before you Leap, Mr. Mayor ...
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Re: Look before you Leap, Mr. Mayor ...
Re: Look before you Leap, Mr. Mayor ...
Joan Seay
Re: Look before you Leap, Mr. Mayor ...
Once again Jaime Jamieson has proven that not only is he an astute businessman and a supporter of the local arts scene, but that he has a positive vision for Tulsa.
Let the city and SMG use the BOK and the convention center for large (and hopefully profitable) events. Allow the non-profit Tulsa arts organizations to have stable, low priced and even subsidized venues such as the Multi-Theatre PAC stages. Tulsa individuals and foundations have demonstrated great support for local artists; don’t muddy those efforts with short term political grandstanding.
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It isn't broken, so don't fix it.
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