ReServist Michelle Connelly and Rebecca Kelly Ballet Executive Director Craig Brashear

ReServe hosted 28 nonprofit arts organizations among visual arts, music, dance, theater, opera and folk arts, at a breakfast last month launching its Arts Ventures program in an effort to bolster the nonprofit arts community.

ReServe’s Arts Ventures program seeks to help match the expertise and experience of the many ReServists interested in working in the arts with nonprofit art organizations during a time when so many organizations have seen their donors diminish and their endowments reduced.

The breakfast held June 2, 2009, was located at the Municipal Art Society of New York, a venerable arts nonprofit in its own right, and included executives and representatives from nonprofit Art organizations.

Craig Brashear, executive director and board member from the Rebecca Kelly Ballet, which is a ReServe partner organization, spoke about how ReServe has helped empower his organization. Brashear said having a ReServist is making a significant difference in the work of this ballet company without making a big dent in its budget.

Mary McConnell, a ReServist serving his organization as a marketing and public relations consultant also spoke.  “My experience as a marketing and public relations executive at Proctor & Gamble has translated smoothly into promoting the programs of the Rebecca Kelly Ballet. I have a keen interest in the arts, and it turned out to be a perfect match,” said McConnell.

The purpose of the launch was to introduce representatives of potential partner organizations to the work of ReServe and to help them think through how they might craft appropriate ReServist positions for the kinds of services that would most benefit them.

This initiative comes at a very welcome moment in the world of the arts, when many have had to downsize and have lost staff whose functions are then picked up by the few who remain.

At the least, this causes a burden on those staff members and at the worst, it can negatively impact the effectiveness of an organization, particularly with regard to marketing and outreach, essential elements of the work of arts organizations whose constituents are members of the community.

The morning included an introduction by Mary Bleiberg, ReServe’s executive director, on the importance of the arts for people of all ages, and a power point presentation, highlighting the different ways partner organizations can use ReServists.  The presentation was jointly delivered by Jess Geevarghese, a senior program officer at ReServe, and Sharon Dunn, an arts consultant working with ReServe.

Following the presentations, there was a spirited question and answer session, at which the attendees interacted with the presenters, provided their unique perspective on the needs of their organizations and shared information about the kinds of support they are seeking.  The range of needs was impressive and included IT assistance, development, and even a request for a CEO.

“I had no idea ReServists had such a range of talent,” said Nikki Pruill from the Harlem School of the Arts. “My organization has so many needs that we can’t afford to fill, but with ReServe in mind, we can start discussing some possibilities.” Several of the organizations are in the process of developing opportunities for ReServists within their agencies.