Festival Catalysts

[jugglerjosh]

Dear Fellow Performers,

Well, I sent a proposal to NYC Department of Cultural affairs, but the reply was that the 08 fiscal year has been allocated. I'll continue to work with their offices.

Joan sent an E-mail that she would find Mary Halloway's address at Lower Manhattan Marketing Association (LOMA) and get it to me for contact.

She also mentioned that "if" the other Hall of Fame Recipients expressed concern over their plaques not engraved at the LOMA sandwich board that they sould contact her. (the recipients are Magic Brian and Bethany.)

I am still increasingly frustrated with the management handling of my requests. We have no union, but they seem to respond at work with petitions and organizations, not individual employees with such corporate organizational requests.

I'll post the petition next.

Sincerely, Josh Weiner

[jugglerjosh]

Petition for 2008 Festival (please sign to be sent to offices)

To The South Street Seaport Management Office
19 Fulton Street
2nd Floor
New York New York 10038

The South Street Seaport Performance Artists hosted a weekend festival from June 15th through 18th, 2005. The festival was affiliated with LOMA (Lower Manhattan Marketing Association), and was included as part of an event series throughout lower Manhattan.

We are writing this letter to establish this successful event as an annual festival to celebrate the South Street Seaport Street Performer program.

"A street performer, or busker, is one who presents an act for tips on the city streets. It has been a part of street life in New York, including the downtown area, since colonial times. The street performer program has entertained and delighted the estimated 10,000,000 annual visitors of the Seaport for over 20 years. Our festival will include over 35 acts from the South Street Performer roster, successful artists that have participated in the program, and invited performers."

Many well known variety acts began their career as street performers, which is one of the hallmarks of a free society. For these great performers, it was a place to develop their act, and quite a few were not very good when they started. For some it has been a place to develop and hone their craft, and for others it is a way of life by choice. We hope that the Seaport continues to foster the supportive atmosphere which allows performers to grow.

This festival proposal will provide a structured and organized weekend event coordinated with the Standard street performer locations. A concentrated information area on the Pier Apron and Festival Stage also highlights the work and promote the artists with information and announcements, in collaboration with patrons and sponsors of the event.

There are many annual festivals on General Growth Properties with similar programs.

We hope to work with the management offices to make this festival, modeled after the June 2005 Street Performance Festival, an annual celebration of these South Street Seaport, New York City artists.

Signed,

(please post to this thread as artist or support of this proposal. thanks. - Josh)