Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...New York City Gay Men’s Chorus in financial trouble
(New York) The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus has announced in a press release that it is facing “severe financial problems” and its 30th anniversary season is in danger of being shut down.
“Like so many nonprofit arts organizations in this economic downturn, we are hurting,” said Rick Clodfelter, Chairman of the Board of Big Apple Performing Arts, Inc., the umbrella organization for the NYCGMC. “Decreasing donations, limited resources and the rising costs of production make it more difficult than ever for a community arts organization to survive. Our goal is to raise $500,000 to enable us to retire debt, proceed with our 30th season and ensure we are better positioned to advocate for equality in the future.”In addition to reaching out to elected officials for help and holding community wide fundraising campaigns, individual members of the choir have reached out to supporters through social networking sites.
“We are not going down without a fight. We have drastically reduced operating expenses and embarked on a no-holds barred fundraising campaign,” said the chorus’s executive director Peter Criswell. “We have remained a grassroots organization with many generous individuals and a few loyal corporate sponsors supporting us. In a better economy, that kept us afloat. However, with today’s economic downturn and rising costs, we will not be able to begin our 30th anniversary season without an influx of funds.”
Founded in 1979, the NYCGMC is now made up of more than 220 members including some women and six founding members. The choir’s 30th season was originally planned to take place in September in Town Hall for the Holiday concert.
To find out more about the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, visit its website.
boo hoo. people can’t eat.
A group that excludes females and sound so boring that you can only stand 2 songs if you’re having relations with one of the choir. Homeless people throw food at them, I’ve seen it.
Wow, Leeanne Henry. Have some issues against men?
Leeanne Henry,
There are events and clubs like the Red Hat Ladies for ladies only and all female singing groups and for the comradery that ladies can best have without any men around. Men have the sense to stay away and let the ladies have their fun unspoiled. And there mixed gay men and lesbian choirs that exist in various cities. So can men just be with men and enjoy the comradery of being with their own gender and have a choir etc. Wales is famous for its men’s choirs singing in English and Welsh. It’s a cultural thing and a cultural tradition that noone in their right mind opposes as there are slso groups and choirs there where both genders can participate in.
If an event or group is for ladies only, I don’t feel the need to barge in and throw immaturity and disrespect around and scream and holler that as a man I can’t get in.
None of us men are saying Boo hoo, all female how boring, people can’t eat, we can’t join, etc.
These are social groups, performing groups, etc. How about Cherish the Ladies and all female Irish music and song group, or all female Bulgarian folkloric singing groups. Same gender group like choirs etc or mixed singing groups each have their very own artistic merit and their own sound qualities and noone in their right mind gets bitter and bent out of shape over it,
Have a nice day, Leeanne Henry.
As a former member of a couple men’s choirs, I will say this. Every one of them I’ve been in has had women in the group. Only requirement was that she be able to sing at the same range as a tenor or lower.
And Leeanne… I can only assume you failed to read the article at all, because they actually talk about there being women in the NYCGMC. Do some research before you go yapping your mouth.
Sour-grapes from Ms. Leeanne Henry! Sounds like someone had their “talents” refered to some other organization, NOT the NYCGMC….the “attitude” is very telling!
I have not heard such petty sexist whining as presented here today by Ms. Henry since the 70’s. Doesn’t she know that gay men and lesbians have kissed and made up. Time to get your act together girl and spend some of that energy constructively. Negative bashing of a established group that has brought a great positive to itself and the entiore GLBT community is nothing more that self hate misdirected.
Well, boys, I believe we’ve laid out madam Henry well enough for one day. Let us plead to New York City for funds to maintain this very fine organization. Goodness knows the city certainly has cash for other less entertaining organizations. The NYCGMC is in trouble, folks . . . please rally around and support this outstanding organization. Even if it means appealing to the exclusive homosexual community in NYC, something must be done to save this fine organization in its 30th year. Please!
What factor(s) caused the money problem? Any of it tied to Bernie Madoff? There’ve been plenty of philanthropic funds either wounded or wiped out by him.
Leeanne Henry…why, girl, why? Did you take an I-wanna-make-an-ass-of-myself pill?
Please do some research. It’s New York City Gay Men’s *Chorus* not choir.
Noted and fixed weekilter. Thanks for pointing that out.