Category: Help Yourself

On July 20, senior officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) promised public stakeholders that average processing times for regularly filed artist visa petitions will not exceed 14 days. This marks a substantial reduction in processing times: approvals previously have varied and taken up to 120 days. Orchestras and other arts organizations have been fighting an uphill battle against immigration policies that have seriously challenged their ability to obtain visas for foreign guest performers. The League of American Orchestras, in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians, members of the Performing Arts Alliance, and NAPAMA, has made this issue a priority advocacy area and has been a leader in the national efforts to improve the U.S. artist visa process through direct advocacy by orchestras and with strategic efforts with policy leaders in D.C. The USCIS also promised that significant improvements to the quality of artist visa processing will soon be underway as the agency undergoes a major effort to revise its policy and training programs for the two service centers that process the O and P visas used by artists traveling to the United States for performances. In the wake of promised improvements by USCIS, it is more important than ever that artist visa petitioners do their part to submit complete and timely visa petitions. Visit the Artists from Abroad website for guidance and contact League government affairs for assistance. The promise of 14-day processing is encouraging, but not a guarantee, so file early and compile your best possible petition. The Artists from Abroad website will be updated on an ongoing basis to reflect any new policy developments. For more complete information from the League on this topic, click here.

Posted July 22, 2010

The League is now accepting advertising reservations for Symphony’s 2010 Annual Pops issue.

In addition to the wonderful content in this issue, we will again be running our annual complimentary Pops Index for those advertisers that reserve a 1/3 page ad or larger in this issue. The basic listing includes the name of the artist or attraction, their management company, a primary email contact, and a website.

New this year, we will also offer the opportunity to include a 50-word description of the artist or attraction, and a headshot or logo for an additional $200 per listing. This upgraded Pops Listing will give our readers a full picture of what your attractions have to offer symphony orchestras. (See a mock-up of the new listing here.)

For more information or to reserve your advertising space contact Stephen Alter at salter@americanorchestras.org
or call 646 822 4051.

The deadline for reserving your ad in this issue is August 12, with artwork due by August 31.

Posted July 12, 2010

If you were unable to come to League’s Conference or just want to relive the highlights, they are available now at americanorchestras.org. Watch the Opening Session with Ben Cameron, keynote address from Russell Willis Taylor, or listen to a number of sessions that were recorded during our five days in Atlanta.

Posted July 6, 2010

Get all the latest news and most provocative thinking about orchestras in the new issue of SymphonyOnline. Available now free of charge here, the July-August edition of the League of American Orchestras’ award-winning magazine features original reporting and in-depth examinations of the issues and challenges orchestras are tackling today. The cover story reveals how the Memphis Symphony Orchestra is aiming to reinvent itself as an indispensible community resource with new programming, new musician contracts, and new business partnerships. A probing article takes us behind the scenes to show how the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra recovered from a series of financial and artistic blows to chart a successful course. And a major article offers a frank survey of ethnic diversity at American orchestras—how inclusiveness is a goal for every orchestra, yet true diversity remains elusive. Plus: news briefs, personnel moves, and direct links to website and online resources to enrich the reading experience more. Exclusive, online-only content includes an excerpt from Charles Rosen’s new book, Music and Sentiment, and our popular Stat of the Arts page, which looks at classical music by the numbers. Be sure to share SymphonyOnline with friends, colleagues, and anyone interested in orchestras.

Posted June 30, 2010

Members of League of American Orchestras are entitled to up to $160 in registration discounts to the National Arts Marketing and Development Conference, presented by Arts Reach in Los Angeles. Targeted at marketing and development professionals, the Arts Reach conference runs from October 21 to 24 at LA’s Millennium Biltmore Hotel, and will focus on frameworks, strategies, and techniques for surviving the current economy and thriving in the next decade. In addition to plenary and breakout sessions, there will be networking receptions, one-on-one consultations with experts in the field, and small-group lunch meetings. League members will receive an $80 discount when registering for the regular conference, $40 off the pre-conference “E-Marketing Day,” and $40 off the post-conference “Art of Pricing Day.” Anyone registering before the early-bird deadline of July 31 can bring a colleague for free. The site for more information is http://artsreach.com/conference.html.

Posted June 29, 2010

Last week’s League Conference in Atlanta was a rousing success, with information-packed seminars, in-depth conversations, and provocative speeches that galvanized the orchestra community. Want to catch up with all the doings at the Conference? Visit the Download page of the Conference website here for videos, audio recordings, texts, photos, and more (as they become available). Plus, check out the debates about the future of orchestras at Orchestra R/Evolution. There’s more being posted every day, so be sure to check back often.

With the accelerating pace of technological change, the League’s Electronic Media Services collects monthly summaries of relevant news and information regarding changes, trends and developments that may affect the electronic media activities your orchestra uses to achieve its institutional mission. You’ll find these monthly summaries, and other important legal and technological information as it relates to electronic media, in the League’s Knowledge Center. (Read June’s update) 

Posted June 14, 2010

All this week on The Hub we’ll be covering the daily happenings from the League’s National Conference in Atlanta. From the live streaming of Opening Session to the Keynote addresses from Ben Cameron to Russell Willis Taylor, plus all the debate happening at Orchestra R/Evolution, make sure to check The Hub daily for the latest news.

Posted June 14, 2010

Have you heard what is being said on the Orchestra R/Evolution website? Here is a small sample of the many opinions that are being expressed.

…the level of security orchestras provide locks them into models that diminish quality of experience for musicians… maybe there are better questions from people who are out working in the trenches… I am personally attracted to “changing it up”, but I doubt that I am your typical symphony-goer… No essays. No manifestos. I’m looking for questions we can use… this isn’t a theoretical exercise…

Beginning Monday, you will be able to vote at Orchestra R/Evolution for what question you think we need to talk about at Opening Session—whether you’re in the room or watching the live stream, your vote counts!

The Opening Session begins at 3:40 next Wednesday. To watch, go to orchestrarevolution.org and click on the video player. You will need either Microsoft Silverlight or Windows Media Player v9 or later to view the stream. There will be the option to download Silverlight, should you need it. Mark your calendars!

Posted June 11, 2010