An Island arts institution that has been showcasing contemporary dancers and other artistic endeavors for more than half a century is taking a year-long pause to consider its future, starting next month.
The Yard announced in a Monday morning email blast sent to a number of organizations and Islanders that they are considering the impact of significant cuts to federal and state grants and planning to return in a year.
“As I am sure there are many hard conversations happening in Board meetings across the many Island nonprofits, The Yard’s Board felt it was the right thing to do to honor those who have worked so hard to afford The Yard an over 50-year legacy,” Yard board president Michele Sasso said. “We did not take this decision lightly but felt it was necessary to give time to reimagine what cultural organizations, and The Yard specifically, would look like in the ever-changing environment. We are here to serve our local and national community, and a short-term pause will offer a longer-term future for supporting our artists and audiences.”
The Yard’s announcement comes as several other nonprofits and cultural cornerstones of Island life have also been hit and have warned of the impact of federal cuts on services provided on the Island, including to groups assisting the Island’s homeless, food-insecure families, and those that could lose insurance and other aid under the Trump administration.
The Yard, meanwhile, has been a thriving arts organization on the Vineyard since 1973. But officials there say that five percent of its budget comes from ticket sales at its 80-seat theater and other earned revenue. The rest comes from government grants and private donations. The nonprofit offers dance performances, residencies, classes, and community engagement events at its Chilmark campus. The organization notes that amid federal cuts, The Yard is using the changes as an opportunity to foster new partnerships, consider models of sustainability, and look for new ways to succeed.
“During the next year, we will work hand-in-hand with community members, artists, and partners to envision The Yard’s next chapter,” executive director Stephanie Pacheco said. “We will conduct a full strategic review of programming, operations, and facilities, building upon our 2024 Strategic Business Plan and longstanding Capital Plan, while remaining attentive to new philanthropic opportunities and the shifting economic climate.”
The nonprofit, like many others, will be leaning on the support of private donors in the absence of federal grants and impacted state grants.
As Trump ushers in marshal law, we will simply dwell in distractions and psyops. In the 1988 John Carpenter documentary ” They Live” during the Global Elite scene, it is proclaimed that the yr 2025 would be the completion date …I think Elon and Bill were in that room.
How does this connect to the article?
His disdain for the arts.
Americans are very charitable and will always support great causes and events
While it may take a little adjustment to move to a more private funding model, this is probably a good thing
When the government controls the money, they can control the cause to align it with their own agenda
The government also tends to wet their beaks
This is common to all government regardless of party
The answer is clear: mismanagement of resources. All one has to do is to look them up either on Guidestar or Charity Navigator under their IRS 990 Form/ EIN#23-7348937: (the last published one was for 2023) and see: they brought in $400,000 from contributions of which only $43,000 came from people attending their events (where is their public support?!) and $300,000 from a government grant. However, they paid out $412,000 salaries (10+ professionals!): including $57,000 for “professional” Fund Raising (why?), and well >$100,000 to their Executive Director. Guess what? They ended 2023 being $737,000 IN DEBT!! Although It’s not specified, it looks as if they may have valuable “other assets” ($1,026,000), perhaps the land? I knew their founder, Pat Nanon. She would be devastated. P.S. I know Abbey and she’d be good at looking into the nonprofits from their governing organization’s annual reporting: the IRS.