We are delighted to share with you Pat Cruz and Harlem Stage highlight in Crain’s’ New York Business weekly top stories… http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100110/SUB/301109979 (subscription needed to view this site)
___________________________________________________________
Crain’s Issue Highlights – January 10, 2010
HER OWN HARLEM RENAISSANCE
Exec turns around struggling arts organization
By Miriam Kreinin Souccar
HARLEM STAGE’S PATRICIA CRUZ: “We knew we had to do something dramatic.”
Three years ago, performing arts group Harlem Stage was on the brink of its last curtain call.
Poised to move from City College into its new headquarters in Harlem’s historic Gatehouse building, refurbished at a cost of $26 million, the 30-year-old nonprofit was forced to saddle itself with $700,000 in debt because of costly construction delays and overambitious programming. Arts experts didn’t think it could recover.
“They described us as a sinking ship, and even had charts to show it,” says Patricia Cruz, executive director of Harlem Stage, which showcases artists of color in numerous disciplines from music to dance. “That was the point at which we knew we had to do something dramatic; there was no way on earth we could have come into this building and then not continue.”
Climbing out of a hole
Ms. Cruz—who has been at the helm of the arts institution for 11 years—sprang into action. She spearheaded a complete turnaround of the organization without laying off a single staffer.
To climb out of the hole, Ms. Cruz had to cut the budget to $2.0 million from $2.7 million after moving to the new venue. She did that by discontinuing certain programs, scrutinizing costs and, most important, changing the way the organization operated. At the same time, she developed marketing plans for everything at Harlem Stage, something long neglected by the organization.
Now, while other arts groups are suffering during the biggest financial crisis in decades, Harlem Stage has finished each of the last two years with a surplus, paid off more than two-thirds of its debt, and attracted new board members such as Tamara Tunie, an actor on Law & Order, and major corporate funders such as Target. Its new, state-of-the-art theater in the gothic former pumping station at 150 Convent Avenue has become the talk of the neighborhood.
“The performances are sold out, and there is a buzz on the surrounding streets,” says Gayle Jennings-O’Byrne, vice president of the J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation, which increased its annual $60,000 grant to a two-year gift of $200,000 in 2007. “They are an anchor in the community.”
Programming partnerships
Instead of just renting its space to dance, theater and music organizations, or producing its own shows, Harlem Stage created programming partnerships with other arts groups, such as the Classical Theater of Harlem and Bill T. Jones’ dance company, where both organizations share the costs and the revenue and are able to cross-market to each other’s patron lists. A new partnership with the Black Documentary Collective allowed Harlem Stage to show films again—something that was cut out of the budget after the fiscal crisis—and has brought in new funders like HBO.
Artists say the partnership agreements are better for them as well, making Harlem Stage a more attractive venue for top talent. “This new way is much safer for us financially,” says Ron Brown, who is bringing his Evidence dance company to Harlem Stage for four days in June. “In the end, we both benefit.”
As part of the partnership strategy, Ms. Cruz is also developing new programs to bring in untapped audiences. Upon hearing that most of the younger audiences in Harlem went to Brooklyn for their art and entertainment, she tapped her younger staff to develop more appealing programs for that age group. The series they came up with, called Uptown Nights, had people lined up down the street for tickets.
Back to growth
Harlem Stage’s recent success has allowed Ms. Cruz to cautiously increase its operating budget again. For the current fiscal year ending June 30, the budget is just over $2.6 million. Though the organization has lost some earned income from corporate rental cancellations because of the recession, it still projects it will end the year with a $100,000 surplus. Next up is a campaign to attract more individual donors with a membership program called My Harlem Stage, set to be launched in two months.
Looking back now at Harlem Stage’s own fiscal crisis, Ms. Cruz admits she had unrealistic expectations about the new building.
“I was an art purist, one of those people who think, “If you build it, they will come”,” she says. “I learned that you have to do so much more.”
Congratulations to Pat Cruz, her staff, board & audiencesa continuing, inspiring journey!
We always knew Pat Cruz had smarts. Now we know she has skills too. Brava!
We need Harlem Stage not only for the residents in Harlem but the greater NYC community. Thanks for continuing to cultivate, preserve and present art and artist that challenge and entertain us.
So great to know this organization has the know-how and ability to continue its great work.