30 Monterey County GIVES! 2024 mcgives.com Arts & Culture DONate online mcgives.com why Miller’s work continues to resonate and influence thousands of individuals.” -Roger Jackson Hidden Valley Music Seminars Year Founded: 1963 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 33 paid, 15 volunteers Budget: $1,455,000 659-3115 hiddenvalleymusic.org Big Idea: Hidden Valley Music Seminars offers more than 100 classes and performances every year, spanning music, dance and opera. This intimate performance venue in Carmel Valley now boasts a state-of-the-art lighting system in its 300-seat theater. Donations support Hidden Valley’s Big Idea to develop programs that address the needs of the arts community, like the Emerging Composers Intensive and Festival of Winds, which was initially developed to provide opportunities for woodwind musicians during the pandemic. The programming is always evolving, but shares a common theme of offering space for rehearsals and lodging, and for performance. “What began as an adaptation to the pandemic has matured into a program that is indeed training the next generation of American wind players. Our vision is to build on our proven track record of success and continue this great Festival of Winds into the future.” -Elaine Douvas I Cantori di Carmel Year Founded: 1981 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 2 paid, 50 volunteers Budget: $180,000 644-8012 icantori.org Big Idea: I Cantori di Carmel is planning two new performances in King City for winter 2024 and spring 2025 as part of a broader outreach effort the organization hopes will become a defining feature of I Cantori. These concerts will be presented at no charge, encouraging an expanded audience to experience choral music performance. The nonprofit envisions growing by offering workshops, demonstrations, school presentations, mini concerts and lectures featuring its 60 experienced local singers. “My husband and I have had the pleasure of experiencing the remarkable performances of I Cantori several times, and they are nothing short of extraordinary. This isn’t just a group of people who can sing—they are devoted to music. On top of the magical performances, their enthusiasm for sharing the joy of music with the local community and their support of budding performers really underlines their commitment. We can’t wait to hear them again.” -Sabine Wolpers Monterey County Pops! Year Founded: 1985 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 5 paid, 25 volunteers Budget: $270,500 402-5659 montereycountypops.org Big Idea: An investment in Monterey County Pops!’ Big Idea adds four schools to its existing Salinas Valley Music Education Initiative, already serving 2,000 students. This program conducts afternoon clinics where Pops! music educators mentor students. Then, students perform side-by-side with their mentors in concerts that include everything from marches to traditional music, like Chilenas from the Triqui culture of Oaxaca. Donations also fund initiatives like a musical instrument drive and a unique burrito dinner tradition before concerts. “As the principal music teacher for Greenfield High School, I have found for several years that Pops! music educators do an outstanding job giving clinics to the students on their primary instruments. This type of attention is much needed for these students. Over the past four years, we have gone from 50 students participating to over 100 this year. A very important element is feeding the kids before the concert, which Pops! also provides. This outreach is what the community and students need to continue for us to create a cohesive environment.” -Matt Huot Monterey History and Art Association Year Founded: 1931 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 3 paid, 62 volunteers Budget: $240,720 402-4794 montereyhistory.org Big Idea: Casa Serrano, one of Monterey’s oldest adobes, currently holds works by Monterey Peninsula artists like Jo Mora, Evelyn McCormick, E. Charlton Fortune and Charles Rollo Peters. Visitors can view these artworks, and the adobe itself, because of the Monterey History and Art Association. But now this organization needs help with its Big Idea: replacing this historic adobe’s roof. Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations Year Founded: 2018 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 11 volunteers Budget: $27,500 229-2170 salinasvalleypride.com Big Idea: Donors to this Big Idea support the 15th annual Salinas Valley Pride Celebration. But this is more than just a joyful event showcasing local LGBTQ+ artists, dancers and drag performers. This event serves as a vital hub for resources relevant to the LGBTQ+ community, providing a trusted place to receive rapid HIV testing, mpox vaccinations, housing resources and specialized medical assistance for transgender individuals. Donors also support Salinas Valley Pride’s growing LGBTQ+ scholarship program. “I am so grateful for Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations’ creative spirit and energy. Their ever-evolving strategy in reaching out to the whole Salinas Valley community, too often neglected by Peninsula-focused groups, prioritizes accommodating the full participation of our friends in small towns. Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations further bridges the Salinas Valley with the Monterey Peninsula with a Rainbow Directory of local services to serve the whole Salinas Valley. Businesses have responded positively, enabling SVPC to prioritize giving back to the community by providing multiple college scholarships of $2,000 each. Further outreach now includes coordinating with the California State Parks Foundation in communal plantings to help the native plant life of Fort Ord Dunes State Park. SVPC’s creative spirit and energy is contagious!” -Edith Frederick spotlight
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