Rocky Mountain Arts Association

Impact Statement

Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) is wrapping up an incredible year. The formation of Mosaic Youth Chorus (Mosaic) was our first major accomplishment of the year. Mosaic is the seventh chorus of its kind in North America, a chorus for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth and their straight allies, ages 14 to 20. After a careful feasibility study with JVA Consulting, LLC, we launched a steering committee in early 2007 and Mosaic began rehearsals in August. The chorus premiered in October at an annual leadership conference in Denver sponsored by GALA Choruses, Inc. Since October, Mosaic has performed over 12 times to new audiences totaling over 2,500. RMAA is now providing a safe space for these young people to simply be themselves in a supportive environment with positive adult role models.

With the addition of Mosaic to our organization, joining the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus (DGMC) and Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus (Out Loud), we have greatly expanded our outreach activities all along the Front Range. YTD for our fiscal year ending July, 2008, we have performed 55 concert and outreach activities to audiences totaling over 200,000. In 2007 we introduced reduced rate student tickets for our concerts, and increased the number of free admission concert tickets donated to youth service organizations and high school gay/straight alliances.

We continued work on our 2006 Strategic Plan, funded by The Denver Foundation and developed in partnership with JVA Consulting, LLC. Our initial focus has been on board expansion and diversification, program development, new governance and organizational structure, fund development and marketing and business plans. We improved diversity on our board with the addition of non-singers and two persons of color. Of our now over 160 singing members we have 11 who identify as female, 6 as straight, 17 Hispanic or Latino, 2 Native American or Alaska Native, 2 Asian, 5 African American and 16 veterans. Our audiences now reflect these populations as well, and we continue to expand our diversity at the staff, board, member and audience levels.

Finally, in October, the Denver Women’s Chorus joined RMAA as our fourth program chorus, just in time for their 25th anniversary of building community through music in Colorado.

Needs Statement

General Operating Support (GOS) funds provide RMAA with funding to support many of the expenses necessary to run the organization. We continuously operate RMAA in a very efficient, cost-effective manner, while staying true to our mission and providing excellent program and educational opportunities to the residents of Colorado. GOS funding enables us to react quickly to changes in community needs, addition of last-minute outreach activities, changes in program production, and fluctuation in individual giving. Additionally, GOS funding provides support to fund balances during the months where RMAA does not have earned-income from ticket sales from regular concert activities.

Background Statement

Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) was founded in 1982 by a group of gay men who sought artistic expression and wanted a place other than bars to gather socially and safely. Our first chorus, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus (DGMC) was the first arts program in Colorado to use "gay" in its name. Now in our 26th year, RMAA has performed over 300 concerts in 12 states and 2 countries, to audiences of over one million people. In 1984 RMAA launched two additional programs, the Denver Women’s Chorus and the Mile High Freedom Band, both of which became their own nonprofits in 1992.

In 2006, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus (Out Loud) formed as the first gay men's chorus in the Pikes Peak region. Following a period of collaboration between Out Loud and RMAA, Out Loud officially became a program of RMAA in August, 2006. In August, 2007, RMAA launched a third chorus, Mosaic Youth Chorus (Mosaic) for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth and their straight allies, ages 14 to 20. Mosaic rehearses in the same space in which DGMC was formed in 1982.

In 2007 RMAA celebrated its 25th anniversary of building community through music. We have worked through incredible growth and change, all in support of this significant milestone and our future.

Now with three choruses and over 160 singers, RMAA has increased its reach from 33 activities in our last fiscal year to 51 completed and scheduled activities this fiscal year.

Executive Director Statement

For RMAA, building community through music happens in two stages. First, we find opportunities to gather people in concert halls, churches, libraries or even on the 16th Street Mall. Sometimes we are invited to perform, but we also seek out opportunities. Second, our Artistic Directors program music with the goal of speaking to diverse and varied groups: secular, non-secular, GLBT and non-GLBT themed, in foreign languages, from unfamiliar nations and cultures, plus the standard holiday carols and familiar show tunes and pop music. When combined, a gathering of people and well-programmed and performed music can be extremely powerful in sharing connections and learning opportunities. Music is a powerful tool that can be used to communicate a broad range of messages. This is how we gain understanding and teach others that GLBT people are just like everyone else. This is how we build community.

Our performances move our audience and our own members to talk about their experiences. Through their conversations with others we experience an influx of new singing and audience members and the education and fulfillment of our mission continues. A conversation can take place simply because an audience member liked the sound of our music, or it can happen because they really learned something about our experiences by opening their mind to the lyrics of our music.

We have taken two significant steps in the last two years that have enabled us to expand our ability to fulfill our mission: the addition of Out Loud and Mosaic. The GLBT population in the Pikes Peak region of our state is underserved and people may form negative opinions about the area and its people based on political rhetoric or extreme religious messages. Through Out Loud we are reaching out to people in Colorado Springs who may not otherwise be exposed to the GLBT community. Out Loud also performs in Denver as a way of promoting the existence of a gay men’s chorus in Colorado Springs.

Through Mosaic we are reaching out to a whole new population of young people and their families. Mosaic was conceived for two reasons: first, to reach out to new constituents, both within the program (14 to 20 year old youth) and to increase our reach to new audiences. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (GLBTQQ) youth are an underrepresented and at-risk community in many ways, including higher than average rates of suicide. Today, youth are “coming out” at very young ages and they need a safe haven for socializing and gathering with others. Mosaic formed in August, 2007 and by end of year had performed five concerts to over 2,050 new audience members in Denver. They received multiple standing ovations at every concert, and started a new legacy for RMAA. Mosaic is one of only seven choruses of its kind in North America, and the first in Colorado. Through Mosaic we are now able to build community and understanding in a new way with our audiences, including within a much younger segment.

Our extensive free outreach activities and free or reduced rate concert tickets enable us to reach new members of the community through our mission, many of whom may otherwise never have an opportunity to hear us.
We also participate in non-musical outreach, including fundraising and volunteering for The GLBT Center of Colorado, Project Angel Heart, Southern Colorado AIDS Project, Colorado AIDS Walk, Rainbow Alley and PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.)

Thank you for considering making a contribution to RMAA. Please contact me if you have any questions about our organization.

Organization Accomplishments 2006 - 2010

2006:
1) Launched formal three-year strategic plan with assistance from JVA Consulting, LLC. Plan updated January 2008 for additional three years.
2) Launched Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, the first and only gay/allied identified music group in El Paso County.
3) Launched program feasibility study with JVA Consulting, LLC on viability of a new youth chorus in Denver.

2007:
1) Hired part-time Executive Director
2) After positive feasibility study, Mosaic Youth Chorus launched at Denver's only safe-space youth chorus for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth and their straight friends, ages 14 to 20. Mosaic was the seventh chorus of its kind in North America.
3) Increased funding from individuals, government and foundations. New corporate sponsor, Heartland Bank.
4) Awarded membership to Community Shares of Colorado for employee giving campaigns beginning 2009.
5) Celebration of 25th anniversary of building community through music.

2008:
1) Hired Executive Artistic Director to oversee all programs.
2) Hired full-time Executive Director.
3) Ended fiscal year in the black for forth consecutive year. Total expenses of $262,000 compared to $134,000 just three years ago.
4) Increase in funding from Scientific and Cultural Facilities District to $27,621 from $13,084 last year. Renewed funding from Colorado Council on the Arts for Mosaic Youth Chorus.
5) Acquired the Denver Women's Chorus (founded 1984), increasing membership to 260 and employees to nine.

2009:
1) Launched a new program, Gravity Defied Theatre. Gravity Defied is a musicals-only theatre company focused on bringing an eclectic mix of productions to the Denver area, including regional premiers. A portion of proceeds from two of Gravity’s three musicals season are donated to another nonprofit organization.
2) Fully integrated the Denver Women’s Chorus into the organization
3) Increased government funding
4) Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus selected as a benefiting nonprofit for The Colorado Springs Independent’s inaugural Give! campaign
4) Completed fiscal year with a net profit

2010:

1) Produced two major productions by Gravity Defied Theatre and partnered with Aurora Fox Arts Center to house Gravity’s productions through 2011