FP Future Planning Committee

November Board Report

Nov 7, 2023

October Accomplishments

1. NERFA Private Showcase, Nov 9-11, Asbury Park

All systems are go for our showcase this weekend.  Tina Ross did a marvelous job organizing all the performers and we have a full house!  Bob McNally, Robin and Mark Schaffer, and Andy Hirsh will be hosting the room. Signage, food, chairs, handouts, and other details are all in order.

After deliberation, we decided NOT to stream the showcases, due to technical challenges.

2. Presentation sub-committee
   The presentation gang, led by Todd Dennison and Bob McNally, are making tremendous progress:

○     Todd and Bob blew the roof off the house with the presentation of the Halloween show. They transformed MUUF into a true haunted house with outstanding lighting and decor. 

○     Lighting that creates a better concert experience were previewed at Open Stage and the Halloween Show to rave reviews. Normally our audience was lit during concerts. The new lighting plan darkens the audience and keeps the stage well lit, which enhances the focus on the stage and had a noticeable and well appreciated positive effect on the audience. 

○     We started taking credit cards.  This long-awaited capability brings us The Folk Project squarely into the 1960s.  Quite a few guests took advantage and many guests noticed and approved of this improvements.Training takes two minutes. One example of the benefits: A person who wanted to join The Project and didn’t have the cash was relieved and happy to pay by credit card at the Halloween show.

○     To improve repeat attendance and educate attendees about future events, Robin and Mark Schaffer created a series of slides for upcoming Folk Project events. Todd Dennison did the tech work necessary to project the slides in the auditorium at MUUF using the built-in projector and built-in screen at the rear wall of the stage. The slide show was presented before the concerts at the October Open Stage and Halloween Show.

3. Social Media Brainstorming
   We held a very productive meeting with an experienced social media influencer about our social media efforts and came up with ideas for organic and paid social media, as well as other marketing initiatives. Organic social media is content the FP, audience or performers post at no cost, as opposed to paid advertising. This ranges from likes to pictures or videos, or written comments.  Even a relatively small number of posts before, during, or after events can snowball into a lot of attention.  We will be working on organizing this.  We’ve added this and all ideas from the brainstorming session to our master project list.
   
   

4. Marketing Agencies
   We reached out to several marketing agencies to help us with our marketing strategy, including social media.  One agency, BEM, specializes in marketing for artists and venues and seemed to be the most capable.  We are going to look at this more seriously in early 2024, when we think we will have bandwidth to look at broader issues.
   
   

5. Grant and Sponsorship Status

○     We did not apply for any new grants this month

○     We secured $1500 from Morris Arts.  Less than expected, but all helps

○     Have an offer from an anonymous donor for $5000

○     Pursuing a sponsorship from Sanofi.

November Initiatives

1. Presentation Sub Committee

○     Todd and Bob are raising production values for the Maui show.

○     We are going to create staff shirts to use for the December Open Stage 

○     We will then start to incorporate lighting, credit cards, the slideshow, shirts, and other features at the Troubadour.

2. More welcoming culture. Bob will write an article for the Music Alert and newsletter about how to be effectively welcoming to newcomers.
   
   

3. Volunteer needs.  We have defined several areas where we need volunteers and leaders.  Mark will start covering volunteer opportunities more extensively in the Music Alert.  If you’re interested in any of the following, or can suggest someone, let Robin or Bob know:

○     Fundraising lead:  Explore outside opportunities for sponsorships, grants, and donations. Eitan Grunwald, who has a background in this area, will help with direction. Needs to be comfortable engaging with potential donors and representing the FP.

○     Networking liaison: Develop relationships with other venues (such as Godfrey Daniels, Caffe Lena) and music organizations (such as NERFA/FAI, NIVAssoc.org, Save our Stages). These relationships are a support for best practices, cohorts for tours, and more. Needs strong relationships skills.

○ Producer(s) for a workshop series, modeled after Songwriter Day last April. Topics: guitar, voice, uke, songwriting and/or others.  Each event includes workshops during the day, onsite dinner, and a concert in the evening.  Needs organizational and promotional skills.

○     Additional social media support.  Post engaging content, encourage user content, encourage FP members to share, like, follow, comment. Educate the Board and other members on how to impactfully support the FP on social media (through a persuasive document or video). Needs to be familiar with social media promotion and a good communicator.

As always, the Future Planning Committee is open to all suggestions and feedback. If you want to learn more about longer term ideas, please reach out to Robin.

Thanks!

Robin Schaffer

Bob McNally

Newsletter Committee Report 2023-11

Things are proceeding as usual with the invaluable help of Kathi Caccavale, Pat Brangs, Bill Henderson, Gary Pratt, Susan Lembo, and Todd Dennison.

George Otto

Folk Project Newsletter Editor

newsletter@folkproject.org 

FP Future Planning Committee

November Board Report

Nov 7, 2023

October Accomplishments

1. NERFA Private Showcase, Nov 9-11, Asbury Park

All systems are go for our showcase this weekend.  Tina Ross did a marvelous job organizing all the performers and we have a full house!  Bob McNally, Robin and Mark Schaffer, and Andy Hirsh will be hosting the room. Signage, food, chairs, handouts, and other details are all in order.

After deliberation, we decided NOT to stream the showcases, due to technical challenges.

2.            Presentation sub-committee
The presentation gang, led by Todd Dennison and Bob McNally, are making tremendous progress:

2. • Todd and Bob blew the roof off the house with the presentation of the Halloween show. They transformed MUUF into a true haunted house with outstanding lighting and decor.  

   • Lighting that creates a better concert experience were previewed at Open Stage and the Halloween Show to rave reviews. Normally our audience was lit during concerts. The new lighting plan darkens the audience and keeps the stage well lit, which enhances the focus on the stage and had a noticeable and well appreciated positive effect on the audience.  

   • We started taking credit cards.  This long-awaited capability brings us The Folk Project squarely into the 1960s.  Quite a few guests took advantage and many guests noticed and approved of this improvements.Training takes two minutes. One example of the benefits: A person who wanted to join The Project and didn’t have the cash was relieved and happy to pay by credit card at the Halloween show. 

   • To improve repeat attendance and educate attendees about future events, Robin and Mark Schaffer created a series of slides for upcoming Folk Project events. Todd Dennison did the tech work necessary to project the slides in the auditorium at MUUF using the built-in projector and built-in screen at the rear wall of the stage. The slide show was presented before the concerts at the October Open Stage and Halloween Show. 

3.            Social Media Brainstorming
We held a very productive meeting with an experienced social media influencer about our social media efforts and came up with ideas for organic and paid social media, as well as other marketing initiatives. Organic social media is content the FP, audience or performers post at no cost, as opposed to paid advertising. This ranges from likes to pictures or videos, or written comments.  Even a relatively small number of posts before, during, or after events can snowball into a lot of attention.  We will be working on organizing this.  We’ve added this and all ideas from the brainstorming session to our master project list. 

4.            Marketing Agencies
We reached out to several marketing agencies to help us with our marketing strategy, including social media.  One agency, BEM, specializes in marketing for artists and venues and seemed to be the most capable.  We are going to look at this more seriously in early 2024, when we think we will have bandwidth to look at broader issues.

5.            Grant and Sponsorship Status

5. • We did not apply for any new grants this month

   • We secured $1500 from Morris Arts.  Less than expected, but all helps

   • Have an offer from an anonymous donor for $5000

   • Pursuing a sponsorship from Sanofi.

November Initiatives

1. Presentation Sub Committee

   • Todd and Bob are raising production values for the Maui show.

   • We are going to create staff shirts to use for the December Open Stage  

   • We will then start to incorporate lighting, credit cards, the slideshow, shirts, and other features at the Troubadour.

2. More welcoming culture. Bob will write an article for the Music Alert and newsletter about how to be effectively welcoming to newcomers.

3. Volunteer needs.  We have defined several areas where we need volunteers and leaders.  Mark will start covering volunteer opportunities more extensively in the Music Alert.  If you’re interested in any of the following, or can suggest someone, let Robin or Bob know:

   • Fundraising lead:  Explore outside opportunities for sponsorships, grants, and donations. Eitan Grunwald, who has a background in this area, will help with direction. Needs to be comfortable engaging with potential donors and representing the FP. 

o Networking liaison: Develop relationships with other venues (such as Godfrey Daniels, Caffe Lena) and music organizations (such as NERFA/FAI, NIVAssoc.org, Save our Stages). These relationships are a support for best practices, cohorts for tours, and more. Needs strong relationships skills.

o Producer(s) for a workshop series, modeled after Songwriter Day last April. Topics: guitar, voice, uke, songwriting and/or others.  Each event includes workshops during the day, onsite dinner, and a concert in the evening.  Needs organizational and promotional skills.

o Additional social media support.  Post engaging content, encourage user content, encourage FP members to share, like, follow, comment. Educate the Board and other members on how to impactfully support the FP on social media (through a persuasive document or video). Needs to be familiar with social media promotion and a good communicator.

As always, the Future Planning Committee is open to all suggestions and feedback. If you want to learn more about longer term ideas, please reach out to Robin. 

Thanks!

Robin Schaffer

Bob McNally

Publicity Report for the November 7, 2023 Board Meeting

Sam Edelston, November 6, 2023

Publicity Committee Members

Alicia Weimer, George Otto, Howard Goldman, Jean Scully, Jim Gartner, Joanne Cronin, Kathi Caccavale, Liz Pagan, Loretta Brooks, Mark Schaffer, Michael Mitsch, Mike Rauchwerk, Olga Alvarez, Pat Brangs, Paul Fisher, Ralph Pedicini, Rebecca Rydell, MaryLynn Schiavi

Web Team Members                                 

John Lamb, Allan Kugel, Charles Lamb, Lori Falco

Reports

Chairperson’s Report – Sam Edelston

Facebook users: Put the Folk Project’s Events page on your Bookmark Bar, where it will be visible. www.facebook.com/FolkProject/events  Once a week, share any Events that appeal to you, and tag the Folk Project.,  This will get our Events seen more.

And Instagram users, please tag @thefolkprojectnj to raise our visibility there.

This coming Thursday-Sunday, I’ll be attending NERFA. Though I primarily attend in my capacity as a performer, I’ll be on the lookout for ideas and insights that could benefit the Folk Project, as well.

Publicity has a couple of things in the works that aren’t quite far enough along to mention in this report. You’ll hear about them next month.

I have to miss this month’s meeting, because I’ll be volunteering as an election worker.

E-communications – Mark Schaffer

Mark says:

Music Alert October Data for November Board Meeting:

Sent: 38,768

Opens: 15,117

Percentage Opened: 45.1%

Clicks: 556

Facebook – Kathi Caccavale

Folk Project Page:  6,082 Followers (up from 6,064 last month). 4,900+ people Like this.

Folk Project group: 2,135 members, up from 2,029 last month – If 2.4% growth last month was good, then this month’s 5.2% is impressive.

Swingin’ Tern group: 649 members; up slightly from 643 last month.

NJ Uke Fest group: 299 members; up from 281 last month – The increase of +18 is more than 1/3 of our total gain of +49 so far this year.

Slow and steady growth in Followers and group members, even though Page & Profile Visits are down.

October Facebook Page visits were up 182% over September – but there’s no clear reason why: Wednesday, October 18 had 981 of the month’s 3,229 Facebook Visits, along with an additional 963 Visits between the two adjacent days. The puzzle is, we didn’t post anything to our Page during that period, and the Music Alert that came out on Tuesday afternoon likely would have produced most of its hits on Tuesday. If you back out the atypical Visits from those two days, the month is comparable to September.

Instagram – Ralph Pedicini

Content Overview (from Facebook/Instagram reports):

·         Instagram followers: 446, up from 437 last month. That gain of 9 is more than we’ve been getting.

·         Reach: 161 … Down from 252 last month

Ralph has been posting story content (multiple Stories per event) for performers upcoming that have an active Instagram account. Also posting story content for Open Stage and the Halloween event.

Ralph urges: When you attend one of our events, please post about it and tag the Folk Project.

At the dulcimer festival I run, I urged our audience to take photos and post them on Facebook. (“The best revenge against people who didn’t come is to post about it and show them what they missed.”) Several people in the audience did. This will work even better for the Folk Project, with its several events each week.

Twitter – Jean Scully

No report from Jean.

Web – John Lamb

Here’s John’s writeup.

It was another reasonably busy month for the web team.  We did the following in October:

- updated the Troubadour Booking page

- entered event data for the Halloween show, the Maui benefit show and the MUUF benefit show

- provided ticketing support for Acoustic Getaway

- assisted the Newsletter Editor with getting this month's edition online

- updated the Administration page to reflect the new Swingin' Tern chair

- updated the Swingin' Tern page

- added event for Inside the Song

- removed the COVID notice from the site header in preparation for a major reworking of the header (which has been completed in early November)

Analytics shows web statistics back down to the low side of normal. If any spurious peaks such as the ones we experienced in August and September occurred, they were automatically filtered out of the numbers reported in the spreadsheet.

As always, many thanks to Lori, Charles, Liz and Allan. Please send questions comments and suggestions to webmaster@folkroject.org

Also, send anyone our way who you know of who may be interested in joining the web team.

John Lamb, webmaster

Merch – Paul Fisher (acting)

Nothing new to report.

Sound Reinforcement Committee Report November 2023

We provided sound for the Weekend Getaway and three Friday night shows scheduled in October.  All proceeded normally, without technical incidents. The new streaming service continues to provide incident free service.

For the Getaway, we used a multi-speaker arrangement in the room which will give a more even high quality sound that reduces room echo. This included the two EV speakers owned by the FP and four Yamaha speakers from my inventory. We also used my speaker management system which provides time delay and volume control for each speaker. All this equipment was functioning properly after a three year hiatus and proved that it will work properly at the next Getaway where we anticipate holding the evening concerts in the large conference room which requires this six speaker treatment to properly fill the room.

The stage equipment restoration is completed.

I finished the list consisting of

4 tall mic stands

3 low mic stands

8 mic clips

4 instrument cables

4 replacement windscreens for the SM58 mics

2 mic stand carry bags

I placed orders for these with Sweetwater and Amazon. The total cost was $509

All of this equipment was rotated into active service by October 13.

John Mahon

November 2024 Special Events Report to Board

Acoustic Getaway

The Spring Getaway is half booked. We’ll announce in January and open registration early February. The featured performer is Peter Yarrow of Peter Paul & Mary, and the lineup is shaping up to be particularly fabulous.

Special Concerts

John Gorka will perform a Special Concert at The Troubadour on Friday, July 26, 2024.

Thanks to the work of Robin and The Future Planning Committee, we have secured funding to relaunch the Special Concert at The Troubadour series under the new post-COVID conditions. These concerts featuring higher-profile artists are intended to attract first-time attendees.

Tina Ross is planning a Spring Songwriters Day for April 13th. I’m considering a similar Saturday program next fall for guitar, The New Jersey Guitar Summit. These workshop-concert events are are like mini-Getaways, with the additional purpose of bringing new people into the Folk Project orbit. Board members who may be interested in running such an event, please contact me.

Evenings of Music

All good.

Board members,

Troubadour and Streaming Tuesdays concerts via Afton are running smoothly.

The highlight for October was the first-ever livestream of the Friday night concert from The Folk Project Acoustic Getaway. It was a great way for people to get a taste of what it’s like to be at a Getaway!

We have determined via beta testing that using Zoom with Afton is not a viable option at this time. We will continue using OBS Studio as our streaming encoder for all Folk Project Afton shows.

The “Last Waltz” Benefit Concert originally scheduled for November 19 has been canceled due to health issues affecting one of the co-producers. We hope to present this event in November 2024.

You can find all Folk Project Afton Streaming shows (Troubadour, Streaming Tuesdays, Member Shows, etc.) at https://aftontickets.com/thefolkproject

Respectfully submitted,
Gary Pratt
Folk Project Streaming Chair

Dear Boardies,

Pending my hopeful confirmation as the new chair for Swingin' Tern Dances, here is my report for October:

We held two dances in October.

10/7      Sue Gola and Karen Justin & Jaybird         39 attendees/26 paid    Net loss -$180.  Attendance was hampered by the rain

10/21    Bob Isaacs & Brooklyn Swing Ensemble    52 attendees/40 paid    Net loss -$  39.

                                                                                                           Net loss for Oct -$219.

Swingin' Tern Dances has moved exclusively to calling the non-gendered terms Larks & Robins rather than the traditional Gents & Ladies.  "Larks and Robins" gives everyone the freedom to dance any role with any partner. Dancers can choose the role that is more comfortable for them, (due to personal preference, physical limitations, etc.), or can dance both roles freely, without the worry that someone will tell them they're in the wrong place. Some dancers in our community are not comfortable being called by a gendered term that doesn't match their gender identity. The terms Larks and Robins rose to the top over a 10-year period after trying numerous other non-gendered terms. Remember Larks on the Left; Robins on the Right.  More information may be found at https://files.constantcontact.com/ad3e9aad001/e2f4a69d-befc-41f8-b429-dd3d3edf041b.pdf            

There was only one Troubadour show in October, and it went pretty much along the lines of recent months.  Abbie Gardner drew 73 paid, and the show made $151 in profit.  Year-to-date our average paid attendance was 60.7 (Don’t forget that the first few months of the year we were still coming out of the COVID slump.), and our profit has been $881.

The list of new bookings made during October is below, but there is one non-booking I would like to report.  I have been trying to get John Gorka back to the Troubadour since he last played in 2016.  His agent emailed me with a possible availability for July 26.  Previously that would have been unavailable as the date of the Birthday Show.  But I had decided after the low level of participation by member performers this past July to move the show to the 1st Friday in August, so as not to conflict with the Falcon Ridge Festival, which had drawn away many of those member performers.  So I was delighted to agree to the date.  But from initial conversation with the agent, I learned that John was looking for a higher fee than we could generate under the usual Troubadour fee arrangement with a $10 ticket plus Creel.  I might have bargained him down to something we could have managed.  But rather than trying that, I said to myself, “This is exactly the sort of situation we have Special Concerts to handle.  So I emailed Mark to ask if he wanted to take on John Gorka as a Special Concert for that date.  He said yes.  I just got word that Mark has confirmed that date for Gorka, so we’ll finally get to see John back at the Folk Project again this summer.

The big news with Troubadour is, of course, the impending change of my status as Troubadour Booking Chairman.  It’s all but certain that as of the November meeting I will no longer hold that title, and instead be one of a triumvirate Troubadour Committee with Todd Dennison and Gary Pratt.  That change saddens me greatly, but I recognize why it had to happen.  How this Committee will work is yet to be determined, and we hope to meet to start working out the nuts and bolts of the operation shortly after NERFA next weekend.  I vow to reverse the behavior that has led the Board to relieve me of sole leadership of the Troubadour, and request that every one of you take me to task for any possible slipups on my part in that path to redemption in future, that I might better learn to recognize that sort of behavior before it happens.

New Bookings since last month.

1. Jan. 19:  Songwriter Zoe Mulford, American born but now living in England, back on her first tour of the US since COVID

2. Feb. 26:  Phil Ochs Song Night, featuring Greg Greenway, Reggie Haris, Louise Mosrie, and Pat Wictor performing the songs of Phil Ochs.

Highlight in November

1. Nov. 17:  Exquisite harmony trio,  Mad Agnes

Respectfully submitted

Mike Agranoff

Program Chair

The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series

Morristown, NJ. USA

www.Troubadour.FolkProject.org

 An Open Letter of Apology

To:  Board of Directors of the Folk Project, and all other interested parties:

I write this open letter as an apology, and acceptance of my responsibility for actions on my part that have made necessary my removal from my long-held position as Program Chairman of the Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series.  And also, as an apology to those I have offended by my actions.

I am aware that my people-skills are less than ideal for a person in that position.  Consequently, through inattention, and thoughtlessness, I have from time to time treated occasional performers, agents, and others with whom I have had contact callously rudely, or otherwise offensively in the years of my chairmanship.  This was not done out of malice or anger, but rather because I was unaware of the offensiveness of my words and actions.  It was only when a number of Board members confronted me with my offensive actions about a month ago that I became aware of my errors.  And I cringed when one or two specific examples of my actions were brought to my attention.

While it saddens me greatly to no longer be the Program chair, I fully understand why this action on the Board was made necessary.  Also, my eyes were opened by the reports of my unwitting misdeeds.  I will do my utmost in my revised position as a member of a newly formed Troubadour Committee of three to reform my ways, and to make this Committee continue the necessary work of the Troubadour as smoothly as possible.  And I ask that if anyone experiences any backsliding on my part, to take me to task for it, that I might learn from my missteps.  I only wish that had been done sooner so that I might not have hurt as many people as I have, and that I might have retained my position of Program Chairman.

Mike Agranoff
November 7, 2023