More catching up

The National Performing Arts Convention — convening in Denver next month — has a blog. I was asked to contribute; my entry is here. Subject: why the arts — aka the collection of interest groups meeting in Denver — don’t really represent art in our current world.

Since I got after the classical music business for ignoring Earth Day — and, basically, all environmental concerns — I should be fair, and note that the Ojai Music Festival has announced a green initiative. It’s the first I’ve ever heard of in classical music, though I hope there have been others. To quote from Ojai’s press release:

With the help of Marty Fujita, an

ecologist who founded a farm-to-school food program in local Ojai schools, and

Green Team volunteers from the Ojai Valley Green Coalition, the Festival is

reducing solid waste going to landfills, selecting merchandise and foods

produced with minimal environmental impact, and supporting local farmers,

merchants, and products.

Though of course they’ll still have a carbon footprint — maybe not a small one — from flying artists to play their concerts. I wish they’d say something about that. You can read their complete press release here.

It’s still scandalous — and I really mean it  — that other classical music institutions haven’t done anything like this. If their concerts halls are green, they don’t talk about it. And they don’t even do Earth Day programming. In 2008, that’s scandalous.