COACHELLA VALLEY REPERTORY
September, 2009

Dear Theatre Lover,

September is here, and with it comes a new season for Coachella Valley Repertory!  As our valley grows, so do the cultural cravings of our desert.  In order for the arts to thrive, it is important for the community to support the many cultural institutions and non-profit companies trying to make our world a better place to live in. We are often reminded of difficult economic situation of our community, but the situation is transient.  Art and culture help to bring a community back to a positive and enlightened way of life, especially during the tough times. Art inspires, educates and helps us to be a healthier and more compassionate community.

So this season, when thinking about what to do on the weekend, go to a museum, see a play, experience a concert…you’ll be a better person for it and at the same time helping our community be better as well!

Thank you for your continued support! And remember to visit us at www.cvrep.org!

Sincerely,
Ron Celona
Artistic Director

Partnerships
One of the main components of the CV REP mission is creating partnerships. Designed after other theatre companies who have made a success using this formula, CV REP hopes to follow in their footsteps. These partnerships include theatre venues, artistic Institutions, corporate and local businesses, artistic individuals, and you!

We are thrilled to announce our latest partnership with the Palm Springs Art Museum for our upcoming production of REFLECTIONS OF LINO at the Annenberg Theatre on October 11th at 2:00pm and November 14th at 2:00pm. For more information please go to the productions page on our website or click here!

To date, CV REP has created partnerships with Time Warner Cable, Wells Fargo Bank, Variety of the Desert, Indio Performing Arts Center, Rancho Las Palmas Resort, Hotel Zoso, Piero’s Acqua Pazza, Tillman Integrated Communications, Signs By Tomorrow, as well as several leaders in our community.

Please support us by helping us create new partnerships.  Contact us at info@cvrep.org and one of our Board members will get in touch with you.

Wish List
There are numerous ways that the public can help support our growth. If we don’t ask, we don’t receive! So we decided to create a wish list each month that will include large and small ways that you can help us achieve our goals.

• We are still looking for a donated public space to operate our business out of. At present we have been doing business from a home based office. If we had a public space we could start to staff it with volunteers (who are waiting in the wings).

• Grant Writer, although the Board are hard at work writing grants, they could use the support of other volunteers that have this skill under their belt.

• Committee Members, each Board member is steering a committee on different development opportunities. If you would be interested in serving on one of these committees, please contact Gary Hall at Gary.D.Hall@wellsfargo.com for more information.

Board Member Profile
Colleen McBride

Colleen McBride currently serves as Director of Development for the College of the Desert Foundation. She has more than 20 years’ experience in non-profit management and consulting with particular emphasis and expertise in the Arts and cultural facilities. 

• Experience includes facilitating start-up operations and programming for municipal and non-profit theatres/cultural facilities.  In addition to programming series of  performances and presentations, developed education and outreach programs, donor and other support groups; Facilitated establishment of non-profit “friends”  support group, created community partnerships, including a wide range of special events to raise awareness and support of the arts..  

• As Director of Riverside County’s Arts Council, created arts education partnerships throughout the county, including Desert Sands Unified School District, funded by California Arts Council.   Through this and other new programming, expanded organization funding, resources and outreach which more than tripled annual budget in 4 years. 

• Served as consultant in areas of Program and Fund Development, Cultural Planning and Special Events for a variety of organizations including First Five of Riverside County, NuView School District, City of Rancho Cucamonga, Palos Verdes Ballet, Community Association of the Peninsula, and other organizations.

• Served as grants panelist for organizations including City of Los Angeles, California Arts Council and others.  Also served as workshop panelist, presenter or spokesperson at numerous regional, statewide and national conferences and meetings sponsored by the Resource Center, California Presenters, The Community Foundation, State Department of Education, California Arts Council, Riverside County Office of Education, and other organizations.

• Served on selection committee and judge for Dance Fest (Dance Under the Stars), held at the McCallum Theatre.

• Participated as member of planning team with Irvine Foundation in developing initial grant-making strategies and applications to fund Inland Empire organizations.