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Painted Violins Fund-Raising Projects: What Other Symphony Leagues Have Done
The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra) - Well-known area artists have been given the task of mixing art with history in creating the 13 painted violins. Many of those selected are associated with ArtWorks, which produced the popular flying pigs and flowerpots, and will be doing the same with baseball bats later this summer. This is a silent auction, which will be continuing through the fall when the works of art will be auctioned. Jacksonville (Fla.) Symphony Guild - The first to do this project, now an annual event. The first showing of the violins was courtesy of a local gallery owner who hosted a wine and cheese party. No charge for admission, but those who attended the "premiere" were asked to purchase a $5 raffle ticket. During the next two months, the violins were displayed at three local galleries and at concerts and Guild functions where volunteers sold raffle tickets. As Guild members sold tickets, they took the opportunity to talk about the orchestra's education projects (or to promote the orchestra's concerts). Set ticket prices to encourage purchase of multiple tickets (1 for $5; 3 for $10; 10 for $20; 50 for $50; 125 for $100). The violins were numbered from 1 to 10, and patrons indicated their choice on each ticket purchased. At the close of ticket sales, the stubs were sorted according to violin number, and one ticket was drawn from each group. Lots of publicity. They purchased a lot of 10 identical instruments and prepared them for the artists; they felt this gave the project a professional and uniform appearance when the finished masterpieces were displayed. In their first year, they had significant underwriting, a matching grant up to the amount of $10,000 in ticket sales. New Jersey Symphony Orchestra - This is their second year for their "Art Strings" project; last year raised $26,000 (goal was $20,000) and expenses within $3,000. Specific artists were invited to participate after they asked three different artist associations around N.J. for the names of artists the directors thought would be appropriate for this project. The instruments were hand-delivered to the artists who were given 7 weeks to complete the decorations; the artists signed a release, giving the NJSO full rights and ownership of the violins. The show travels the state, following the concert schedule, for three months. Followed the Jacksonville Symphony Assoc. plan, using raffle tickets as opposed to auction; for the latter, you'd have to make sure there were people among the bidders who would bid more than $1,000 or $2,000 for the instruments. Roanoke Symphony Orchestra - Launched its painted violins project with a reception on Jan. 21, 2003, to present the 12 hand-painted violins which will be raffled to raise funds for educational and youth programs of the symphony. These violins were donated to the RSO by Noteworthy Music and then given to local artists to paint, within 8 weeks. There is a schedule of display dates, and it appears that these places are a gallery, a winery (where there is a food and wine reception with a charge of $35 each), then for a week before the drawing at the Jefferson Center (their orchestra hall). Arlington (Va.) Symphony - Twelve "Artists of Note" will be transforming a violin into a visual masterpiece that will be awarded to 12 winners through the sale of raffle tickets. The Painted violins were exhibited throughout the area between March 9 and June 14 (a schedule was provided), with raffle tickets available at most exhibit venues. They had pictures of the violins on their Web site and provided a Raffle Ticket Order Form that could be downloaded and sent (with check) to the symphony office; in return, the office mailed back the artist-specific raffle tickets. Virginia Symphony - They utilized a silent auction of eight violins hand-painted by some of the area's favorite, recognized artists. Call-in bids were invited; the final bids (silent auction) were made at a concert in May. Pittsburgh Symphony - Six area artists were chosen to create on a "wooden canvas" the emotions stirred in them by music for "Spectacular Strings," the name of their project. The violins were donated by Armen's House of Music in Bethel Park; a volunteer built the wooden stands to display each piece as it traveled around the city. Raffle tickets cost $10 or three for $25. Ft. Collins (Colo.) Symphony - Timed to coincide with the introduction of their new conductor (Wes Kenney), The Sound of Color was two months in duration and involved 12 violins purchased by the organization, all of which were auctioned at the gala closing. A group of 24 artists with diverse styles or techniques, all of high quality and with significant name recognition, were sent invitations to participate, and the first 12 who responded were given the violins to paint. It was not a juried selection because all invited artists were regarded as imminently "saleable." The Kick-off reception (Aug. 22, 6-9 p.m.) included violin music, food, etc., where all 12 were shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Invitees were subscribers, artists, others who were selected as appropriate. Violins on Tour Around Town (Aug. 23-Oct. 31) introduced violins to the public at local galleries as part of their First Friday (of the month) Art Walks (Sept. 5, Oct. 3), which involve lots of galleries and shops in the "Old Town." The city has a nice symphony hall, so the violins were on display in the lobby at two of their concerts; they took the violins "on the road" for another concert. The Sound of Color Gala & Auction (Nov. 1) was a elegant dinner buffet and live auction, including violin entertainment from Jazz, to Classical, to Fiddle. The fund-raiser enjoyed a "good press," the events created a lot of "buzz" in town, and the net was three times what they had projected.
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Painted Violins Fund-Raising Projects: What Other Symphony Leagues Have Done

The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra) - Well-known area artists have been given the task of mixing art with history in creating the 13 painted violins. Many of those selected are associated with ArtWorks, which produced the popular flying pigs and flowerpots, and will be doing the same with baseball bats later this summer. This is a silent auction, which will be continuing through the fall when the works of art will be auctioned.

Jacksonville (Fla.) Symphony Guild - The first to do this project, now an annual event. The first showing of the violins was courtesy of a local gallery owner who hosted a wine and cheese party. No charge for admission, but those who attended the "premiere" were asked to purchase a $5 raffle ticket. During the next two months, the violins were displayed at three local galleries and at concerts and Guild functions where volunteers sold raffle tickets. As Guild members sold tickets, they took the opportunity to talk about the orchestra's education projects (or to promote the orchestra's concerts). Set ticket prices to encourage purchase of multiple tickets (1 for $5; 3 for $10; 10 for $20; 50 for $50; 125 for $100). The violins were numbered from 1 to 10, and patrons indicated their choice on each ticket purchased. At the close of ticket sales, the stubs were sorted according to violin number, and one ticket was drawn from each group. Lots of publicity. They purchased a lot of 10 identical instruments and prepared them for the artists; they felt this gave the project a professional and uniform appearance when the finished masterpieces were displayed. In their first year, they had significant underwriting, a matching grant up to the amount of $10,000 in ticket sales.

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra - This is their second year for their "Art Strings" project; last year raised $26,000 (goal was $20,000) and expenses within $3,000. Specific artists were invited to participate after they asked three different artist associations around N.J. for the names of artists the directors thought would be appropriate for this project. The instruments were hand-delivered to the artists who were given 7 weeks to complete the decorations; the artists signed a release, giving the NJSO full rights and ownership of the violins. The show travels the state, following the concert schedule, for three months. Followed the Jacksonville Symphony Assoc. plan, using raffle tickets as opposed to auction; for the latter, you'd have to make sure there were people among the bidders who would bid more than $1,000 or $2,000 for the instruments.

Roanoke Symphony Orchestra - Launched its painted violins project with a reception on Jan. 21, 2003, to present the 12 hand-painted violins which will be raffled to raise funds for educational and youth programs of the symphony. These violins were donated to the RSO by Noteworthy Music and then given to local artists to paint, within 8 weeks. There is a schedule of display dates, and it appears that these places are a gallery, a winery (where there is a food and wine reception with a charge of $35 each), then for a week before the drawing at the Jefferson Center (their orchestra hall).

Arlington (Va.) Symphony - Twelve "Artists of Note" will be transforming a violin into a visual masterpiece that will be awarded to 12 winners through the sale of raffle tickets. The Painted violins were exhibited throughout the area between March 9 and June 14 (a schedule was provided), with raffle tickets available at most exhibit venues. They had pictures of the violins on their Web site and provided a Raffle Ticket Order Form that could be downloaded and sent (with check) to the symphony office; in return, the office mailed back the artist-specific raffle tickets.

Virginia Symphony - They utilized a silent auction of eight violins hand-painted by some of the area's favorite, recognized artists. Call-in bids were invited; the final bids (silent auction) were made at a concert in May.

Pittsburgh Symphony - Six area artists were chosen to create on a "wooden canvas" the emotions stirred in them by music for "Spectacular Strings," the name of their project. The violins were donated by Armen's House of Music in Bethel Park; a volunteer built the wooden stands to display each piece as it traveled around the city. Raffle tickets cost $10 or three for $25.

Ft. Collins (Colo.) Symphony - Timed to coincide with the introduction of their new conductor (Wes Kenney), The Sound of Color was two months in duration and involved 12 violins purchased by the organization, all of which were auctioned at the gala closing. A group of 24 artists with diverse styles or techniques, all of high quality and with significant name recognition, were sent invitations to participate, and the first 12 who responded were given the violins to paint. It was not a juried selection because all invited artists were regarded as imminently "saleable." The Kick-off reception (Aug. 22, 6-9 p.m.) included violin music, food, etc., where all 12 were shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Invitees were subscribers, artists, others who were selected as appropriate. Violins on Tour Around Town (Aug. 23-Oct. 31) introduced violins to the public at local galleries as part of their First Friday (of the month) Art Walks (Sept. 5, Oct. 3), which involve lots of galleries and shops in the "Old Town." The city has a nice symphony hall, so the violins were on display in the lobby at two of their concerts; they took the violins "on the road" for another concert. The Sound of Color Gala & Auction (Nov. 1) was a elegant dinner buffet and live auction, including violin entertainment from Jazz, to Classical, to Fiddle. The fund-raiser enjoyed a "good press," the events created a lot of "buzz" in town, and the net was three times what they had projected.

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