The Ojai Post

Putting this calendar together has been in many ways much more difficult than the first. There were many obstacles that I/we came up against, including the house fire and the bear! The "we" I refer to includes Attasalina Dews, Bret Bradigan and those who supported us in putting this together. If there were not so many people who wanted to see another calendar, there's no way I would have done this again. But even with all the obstacles I think we have a fine calendar that Ojai can be proud of that includes all the important arts & entertainment events that go on every year. There's been much fuss about conflicting events and how to better manage our social calendar. We've met those needs as much as we possibly could. This, along with the other event calendars up and running, is surely enough coverage to avoid special event gridlock. But the one thing I don't want to be lost in all of this is the calendar's original intent: to focus on the need to support the arts in our community.

I have now served on the Ojai Arts Commission for three years now. In that time I have done what I set out to do: reinstate the arts grants program. This is the second year the arts grants are being given. This is also the second year that all the grant applications are for arts education programs for the city's youth. I'm very happy about that. My fundraising activities ( the calendar, the fabulous hat party, the full moon jazz jam and so on) have all supported me in teaching the 6,000 or so children I have over the last 6 years. I've found that most of my supporters are those in town who do not necessarily have or even like children but but they're willing to give money if they know they're going to have a good time and they believe in the cause. I produced the calendar because people asked for it. What the money would go towards was the second question. Working with Bret we decided to focus towards something that would satisfy a need in the community. The one need in the community that will benefit everyone is the reconstruction of the Libbey Bowl. And part of that reconstruction is a public art installation.

A percentage of every new construction budget must be earmarked for public art. (a lot of people don't like the public art here - I can't tell you how much time the arts commission has devoted to that changing sculpture project - to no avail) but they're going to get something. $40,000 will be allotted to the public art for the bowl. Bret and I thought that a kid's art project would be a great component to the public art piece. With this calendar we want to raise $10,000 in matching funds to commission the artist Trimpin to create a permanent art installation with a group of children. We have 2,000 calendars to sell and I can tell you right now, at least half of the sales will go to cover costs of production. This is an expensive, involved process. We'll be lucky if we break even like the first one, I would really love to have something left over to show for it, so please, come out and buy the calendar. Great holiday gift! If you can't make it to a store, you can buy online@ www.menofojai.com.

People are already asking about the next calendar. and we're thinking about it. The next step for Ojai Calendar Project is to get incorporated and file for tax-exempt status. Then, in Spring, we will have a fund raising event, this time to raise funds to produce the 2011 calendar and not depend on pre-sales. From there Ojai Calendar Project will be fully functioning and able to meet the needs in the community that the arts commission cannot do.

I think I've covered everything. If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please post. This is a community project. I couldn't have been done without support from all areas of the community.