Kudos to Melissa for bringing this to the public....
**Letter sent to to Melissa Ripp and the PPulse in response to recent article**
I'm a music venue owner in Egg Harbor and my music program has suffered this season in part due to the presence of the PE PAC. It has, both by its existence and by the way in which it promotes itself, created a very uneven playing field for music in Door County.
I have blogged about this subject (prior to Melissa's excellent article) here www.doorcountyoutpost.com/blog/ and encourage people with an opinion to post their views. The only point in Melissa's article that I disagree with is that the music program at the PE impacts (negatively) any venue with a music program on a Sunday night. It, in my opinion, negatively impacts any venue with a music program on any night of the week, and I've explained this at length on my blog post at the above link.
Kudos to Melissa for presenting the facts behind what is going on with live music in DC, and I encourage her to dig deeper, the smaller, family funded and family operated venues, need this to be brought out into the open.
Sincerely,
posted by Door County Outpost @ 4:18 PM
11 Comments
11 Comments:
What issue? State statutes allow the 30% municipal portion of the room tax to be spent on anything. The Village of Egg Harbor has enough foresight to spend part of it on a music series. Instead of criticizing the Village for a dedication to improving the arts community in Door County, why don't you criticize your municipality (Town of Egg Harbor) for failing to do so? The Town is home to the largest lodging property in the County, and certainly has the room tax dollars to put on a music series at the Outpost if it chooses to do so! Your problem is NOT with the Village, it is with the Town's lack of vision. Instead of spending your energy fighting the Village why don't you get the Town on board with promoting the arts?
The room tax dollars that are going to each individual municipality to fund free music also create an uneven playing field for the non-profit Arts venues. These venues are an integral part of the Door County landscape, yet as we all know, it is hard to compete with free.
I am glad Melissa started the discussion; we need to make sure it is continued. I hope each municipality takes a good look at all the options for room tax expenditures - right now, music seems to be the focus.
Relating to the 6.48 am poster above....
Great to have someone on board with a strong opinion on this subject. Why not introduce yourself?
Is having an opinion on something which negatively impacts your livelihood being "critical" and/or "fighting" ? I'm sure you would but up some resistance if your livelihood were threatened.
Your comment about the Village "improving the arts community in Door County", tells me that you didn't really read the post I made on this subject. In it I questioned the logic of bringing outside talent into an area that has so much home-grown talent, right here in town (and the Village). "Improving the arts" is just some catchphrase that you're hiding behind to try and make a point, you haven't really considered what it means. "Improving the arts" would sound a lot more meaningful if you booked some locals at the PE, which would truly be giving back to the arts community, as I stated in my original post.
Anyway, at this point I don't see a fight taking place and I'm not ready to enter one. Also, per your post, I'm not being critical, merely conversational (and offering up some ideas).
Re-read my post and you'll see that I'm suggesting some ways the facility could be put to better use that would truly benefit the local community.
Perhaps you're an overly sensitive individual who's eyes glazed over when you read something that you don't agree with. If that's the case you'd serve your cause better by staying away from this blog.
Incidentally, I don't believe Camp David is in the Egg Harbor Village either, but it doesn't stop them from having an opinion on something that impacts them, does it?
I'll keep blogging on this issue since I think it's interesting and impacts many of us in the community in many aspects of what we do, plus, judging by the number of emails and calls I've had, others are interested in it too.
If you have a genuine concern, why not take a chill-pill and come back with something constructive. Otherwise I wish you well in all your future endeavors.
Carl Hruza
My point is a simple one. There is nothing that precludes the Town of Egg Harbor from underwriting a free concert series of local musicians at the Outpost using room tax monies. Gibraltar could do this at Camp David, or at the DCA. If, as you say, you want locals booked at the PE then get room tax money from the Town and book them, it is a community facility.
I understand the local musician issue, I understand the "mom and pop" venue issue. These are real issues. Last year over $790,000 of room tax money was returned to the municipalities. Go to your municipality, get the money, and level the playing field!
This post has been removed by the author.
Thank you anonymous for illuminating your point.
If only life were that simple.
Elsewhere on this blog I commented about the fragmented approach to doing business and how a more coordinated approach might benefit all. You can't control nor expect to control the competitive stances taken by private, or even, to some extent, public corporations. But you should expect Townships and Villages who have a responsibility for more than what lies within their immediate municipality to take a more considered approach to how they conduct themselves and the decisions that they make.
In taking on and promoting a "community" based facility, there are certain obligations that come with it. In my original post I bemoaned the insular approach taken by the Village of Egg Harbor and tried to encourage a more community spirited approach. The recommendation you make above promotes the more insular way of thinking and I'm strongly against it. I've seen how damaging this can be in other small tourist based communities.
This is the Door Peninsula, a destination for over 2 million people each year. They don't come here to visit Fish Creek or Egg Harbor, they come to visit Door County. Our individual Townships and Villages owe it to the community at large to work together to the good of the area as a whole. Taking an autonomous stance, as you seem to be encouraging, is like saying that I can do whatever I want in my own yard, regardless of how it impacts what goes on in my neighbors yard. It is not a community spirited approach and now we have what we have here.
Thanks again.
Hello all,
I am happy that a few people have read my article in the Pulse and are taking the time to respond! Obviously when you have a word count limit, you can't do all that you wanted to in terms of being able to talk to everyone that the "free vs. paid" concert issue has effected... :)
I am already planning to do a follow-up to the article, because I am well aware that I just skimmed the surface of what is a major issue in our live music and performing arts scene on the peninsula.
Please -- if anyone had any comments, questions, or feedback that they'd like to give and that I'm cleared to use for another article down the line, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at melissa@ppulse.com or give me a call at 920.559.0788. I'd like to hear what you have to say -- whatever side of the issue you're on.
Thank you again for reading -- and for caring about our live music community in the county!
Sincerely,
Melissa Ripp
Entertainment Editor (and obsessed audiophile)
Peninsula Pulse
melissa@ppulse.com
920.559.0788
Read this in the Pulse and noticed the comments.I agree with Tim Nyberg and this blog site that door has lots of homegrown talent that should be more featured at these big events. How can it be a community event when locals don't get to play and most of the audience are probably from fox valley and chicago??
Say it and mean it.
Connie (from Sturgeon Bay)
PS - how do i register?
Hello Connie,
Thanks for your input.
You can create a blogger account here (or use your existing Google account if you have one) www.blogger.com
Once you have an account you can loose the anonymous tag - I wish more people would register, it's easier to have a conversation with a person if you know their name!
Cheers
Carl
There's been some great bands around over Fall fest weekend....Nicks at Husby's - always a good time
Wish it were like this year round :)
See ya
I couldn't find the live music article at the Peninula Pulse website, does anyone have a link to it?
I've been talking to a few people lately and there seems to be a group getting serious about starting a music venue in Sister Bay...
Also, is Lloyds place reopening?
Reggie
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