As I was getting ready for The Joffrey Ballet's annual gala last Friday, I thought about all the black-tie events I have attended since that first gala. In particular, I contemplated the fundraising nature of most of these events.

 

Growing up in the Soviet Union, where all artistic, educational, medical and historical organizations were totally government-sponsored, the entire concept of fundraising and individual contributions was foreign to me. But as my social and artistic involvement here in the United States deepened, I gained a special appreciation and respect for the commitment of patrons and their efforts to secure the well-being of important institutions such as dance companies.

 

Giving and sharing take many different forms, from occasionally offering your time and expertise to heading up major development projects, from dropping an extra dollar in the theater lobby's donation box to creating a million-dollar endowment. But there is always a common element: the enjoyment of helping and the fulfillment that it brings. Through conscious and voluntary contribution, we gain a sense of association, belonging and connecting, and become sincerely invested in the success of the organization to which we have given our time or money.

 

Sometimes we are asked if it isn't a contradiction for an organization to spend money on a fancy gala. Certainly, fundraising events are becoming more and more creatively lavish, in an attempt to make the occasion most memorable, highly attended and publicized. A gala is eagerly anticipated by those who attend, and often just as eagerly reviewed in the socially-oriented magazines afterward, to see who and what is featured in the glossy pages.

 

But whatever the underlying motivations - the excitement of the occasion, the prestige of being part of an elite group, the tax deduction associated with your donation - fundraising events accomplish essential goals. Beyond the immediate funds raised, participants get an inside look at the organization, often including meeting the dancers or other artists, experts and executives, and increasing the sense of connection and investment. Similar-minded people come together to create a new culture where synergy and combined energy and expertise create results greater than the sum of individual efforts.

 

As we progress in the economy of free enterprise, it continues to be our individual social responsibility and commitment that will assure the sustainability and blossoming of artistic organizations. It is a privilege and honor to contribute to and support what we believe in, and to ensure that what is important to us will be here for generations to come.

 

Aleksandra Efimova,

President