• Fundamentals of Arts Advocacy is a workshop that will teach strategies, issues, and limitations related to arts and cultural advocacy on the local, state, and national levels. Jay Dick, director of state and local government affairs with Americans for the Arts, will be leading the presentation, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 6-8:30pm, in City Council Chambers, City Hall. For more information, contact Janet Seibert at 974-7860 or janet.seibert@ci.austin.tx.us.
• Jim Reagan is stepping down as the Austin Symphony Orchestra‘s executive director, effective Nov. 1. He has led ASO for 10 years, during which time its books stayed balanced, the budget grew 60%, the subscription base increased 25%, single-ticket sales increased 44%, and the annual development fund increased 100%. Calling his years with the symphony “the most enjoyable and rewarding in my entire career,” Reagan cites the establishment of the Butler Pops Series, the Hartman Concerts in the Park, and the Addy Classical Artists Series among his proudest achievements that have helped ASO “to reach a vast new audience and has greatly increased our base.” Reagan will become CEO of a North Texas-area public improvement district.
• Conspirare is tearing up the charts with its new CD, Tarik O’Regan: Threshold of Night. In its first week out, the Harmonia Mundi release came in at No. 2 in sales at Waterloo Records (selling more than 100 copies to outdo Metallica, Calexico, Rodney Crowell, and Alejandro Escovedo) and debuted at No. 10 on Billboard‘s list of Top Classical Albums. For more information, visit www.conspirare.org.
This article appears in September 26 • 2008.