WALA News ~ August 31st, 2010

The end of summer is a bittersweet time.  We say goodbye to the lovely leisurely summer days, but we look forward to the new season, new exhibits, and new school year; new stuff is starting and we have renewed energy to jump in and enjoy it.  This year's transition into fall is a big one for me personally and a big one for WALA.  Read on for more info....

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Though it will feel a bit strange waking up tomorrow without a position at WALA for the first time in 15 years or so, I feel great about leaving, because I promised myself and the WALA Board of Directors that I wouldn't leave until the organization was functioning well, in a position of strength, and with dedicated funding and organizational partners. 

During the past two and a half years we have accomplished quite a bit as an organization.

• We have partnered with many organizations to take our services to places we haven’t reached before - THEARC, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Women in Film and Video, International Arts & Artists, and Artomatic, to name just a few.
• We have developed a partner organization membership to extend WALA’s message and services to new members - Hamiltonian Artists and American Independent Writers were the first organizations to take advantage of this partnership to offer WALA member benefits to their members.
• We took part in the Actionomics working groups of the DC Office of Planning and Washington DC Economic Partnership, and with the help of attorneys from Arent Fox and the DC Bar, we will be unveiling a Real Estate Toolkit this fall.
• We have secured funding for outreach and education from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities so that we can be sure the people who need WALA programs and services know where to find them.
• WALA's Education and Events Committees have become quite active in planning programs for WALA, and we have gone from 10 programs per year to more than 30 covering a wide variety of subjects and taking place all over the metro area.

Now that we have done all of that, and shored up WALA's foundations, it is time for me to hand over the reins to someone who can take WALA to the next level.  I am thrilled to announce that beginning September 1, L. Michael Gipson will take over as Executive Director of WALA.  I will let Michael outline his vision for WALA in next month's newsletter, but for now please join me in welcoming him to the WALA family.  You can reach Michael at director@thewala.org.

I would like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me to prepare WALA for its new life.  First I must thank Carl Settlemyer, who as Board President led WALA through some very difficult times, and as Treasurer made sure that WALA was in sound financial shape before hiring me as Executive Director.  Laura Possessky has been an exemplary Board President and co-captain of WALA for the past 2 years.  I could not think of a better partner to lead the organization.   

I want to also thank every member of WALA’s Board of Directors.  They have been incredibly supportive and responsive to my many requests for assistance over the years.

Of course you all know the staff at WALA has been absolutely stellar.  Director of Legal Services Maggie Gladson has been the keystone in WALA's rebirth.  Our new Director of Education and Outreach, Phyllis Klein, has been a fantastic addition to the staff, coordinating programs with ease and lending an artistic flair to everything she does.  And our Arts Ambassador, Vance "Head-Roc" Levy is taking the WALA message directly to the artists we need to reach with his signature style and charm.

I am going to move on to focus on some projects I’ve been working on - Misra Records, an independent label I helped form 10 years ago, and All Over the Map, a new blog about family travel - and helping my husband with his design company, MinorAlterations.  And I am going to watch as WALA blooms and grows under its new leadership!

- Paige Conner Totaro

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WALA Fall Programs Announced

We have an exciting lineup of programs for the fall, with more in the works!  You can always find a current schedule at http://www.thewala.org/calendar.htm.  Just click on the links for more information or to register!
Show More

For more information, contact Phyllis Klein, Director of Education and Outreach, at education@thewala.org.

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Come on WALA Volunteers!  Put your money where your pro bono hours are!
(You know I can't leave without one more appeal for $$!)

Thanks to all the attorneys who have joined WALA this summer during our half-price membership drive! 

Membership money from artists and attorneys goes toward WALA's operating and programming expenses.  We are trying to build up attorney membership to match or exceed artist membership levels to show the great support of the arts by the legal community. 

As my first post-WALA act, I am joining WALA at the Attorney membership level so that I can be sure that WALA can continue to provide its wonderful programs and services to the arts community in DC.  Join me!

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(ALSO, scholarships available for musicians!)

The 10th Anniversary Future of Music Policy Summit comes to Georgetown University in Washington, DC on October 3-5.

The 10th Anniversary Future of Music Policy Summit puts artists front-and-center in discussions about music in our increasingly networked, digitized world. What strategies are working for musicians, and which are convenient fictions? How are savvy artists, managers and labels using technology to gain traction in a noisy media environment? What impact do policy and the courts have on the music ecosystem? Is the future of music actually video?

This year’s lineup will feature presentations from a range of visionaries such as T. Bone Burnett (renowned musician, composer and producer), Danah Boyd (Harvard University and Microsoft), Damian Kulash (frontman, OK Go), Eric Garland (founder, Big Champagne Media Measurement), Ian Rogers (CEO of Topspin), and Ana Marie Cox (Washington Correspondent, GQ Magazine), to name only a few.

But why EXACTLY should you attend?

If you're a musician:

• Sunday is chock full of practical advice for navigating today’s challenging and potentially rewarding creative landscape: fan analytics; direct-to-consumer case studies; the possible impact of health care reform on musicians; a PR master class with Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity/Cyber PR; and more!
• On Sunday and Monday, FMC's HINT coordinator Alex Maiolo will be on hand to provide free, private, personalized advice to musicians without health insurance. Musicians, apply for a scholarship today at http://futureofmusic.org/summit2010/scholarships-working-musicians
  

If you're an attorney:

• Panel discussions focusing on topics ranging from new business models to international and domestic copyright issues to artist engagement will be crucial conversations about the future of music.
• Experts from across disciplines and industries will talk about copyright, new contractual models, privacy and social technology.
  

We will also be hosting a film screening, cocktail parties and a live concert which will provide attendees with numerous networking opportunities.

**Special Registration Rate for WALA members**
Use the promo code "WALA15" when registering and you'll be charged 15% off the current rack rate for Summit 2010. To receive the discount, you must register using this special promo code via our online registration form: http://futureofmusic.org/civicrm/event/register?id=20&reset=1

Info: http://futureofmusic.org/events/future-music-policy-summit-2010
Confirmed Panelists: http://futureofmusic.org/summit2010/speakers-panelists
Musician Scholarships: http://futureofmusic.org/summit2010/scholarships-working-musicians
Help Us Spread the Word: http://futureofmusic.org/summit2010/outreach-tools

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Other News of Note

Empowered Women International will be offering Entrepreneur Training for Success for refugee women artists beginning this fall.

The Washington Area Community Investment Fund has free classes on a variety of nonprofit and small business topics.

Washington, D.C. Economic Partnership is hosting Doing Business 2.0: Initial Start-up Considerations, the live version of the Washington, DC Economic Partnership’s Doing Business in DC publication. The publication -- a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs who want to start or expand a business in DC -- is brought to life through a panel discussion focused on each of its ten chapters.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has named Robert-Corn Revere as counsel.

The International Songwriting Competition entries are due October 6.  Let's have a WALA winner this year!

The DC Bar Pro Bono Program, along with the law firm of Epstein, Becker & Green, has put together two e-alerts to help non-profits understand some of the principal provisions of the Health Care Reform Act.  The first explains a tax credit available to small non-profits that provide health insurance for their employees.  The second offers an overview of changes in the law.

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