Art that pays the bills

Movers and shakers in the performing arts count 2016’s blessings, offer wishes for 2017

It’s been a year of shake-ups and surprises for the arts in Tulsa—the formation of Arts Alliance Tulsa, for example, or the overhaul of the TATE Awards. But in my view, the most notable development has been the dialogue. 

I’ve covered some of it in this column: spirited debate about the purpose of arts criticism, new perspectives on the function of awards in a small but hungry creative community, discussion around the word “professional” when it comes to community theater. 

In the spirit of continuing that dialogue, I asked four local artists to share their thoughts about the year that’s passed, and their wishes for the year to come. 

Robert Young—an actor and singer now venturing into directing and producing, who runs a Facebook page called Tulsa Theatre Scene and a blog at robertyoung.net—said 2016 has been “a fun, if challenging, year, creatively.” 

“We truly have phenomenal talent in this city,” Young said, “and it has been expanding exponentially. It has allowed us to produce higher quality and technically more challenging shows, which I think has started to re-engage audiences and has encouraged more performers.”

“Our affordability as a city allows us the opportunity to tackle many of the issues facing the arts without the make-or-break mentality of larger markets.” 

Young said he’d like to see “a more unified front” in marketing, so performers and audiences stay engaged, as well as more artists taking on leadership roles in production. 

Erin Scarberry, artistic director of Clark Youth Theatre and a member of the Odeum Theatre Company, counts the survival of Clark’s programs for kids (in the organization’s first full year of independent operation after the loss of its city funding) and the changes in the Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence as gratifying developments in 2016. 

“I am excited to see where my students will be by this time next year, and I’m excited about [directing] ‘Sweeney Todd,’” she said. “The biggest need is funding, so that more artists can be financially supported in their work here.” 

To this end, Scarberry has high hopes for Arts Alliance Tulsa, as well as G.T. Bynum’s new regime at City Hall. “[I hope] the shift in mayoral administrations will mark a new era for the arts, one in which we are valued and supported.”

Michael Wright is theater director and professor of creative writing and film at TU, and a contributor to The Tulsa Voice. His action-item-packed wish list is as follows:

“One—Every theatre represented with flyers at everyone else’s shows. It’s time to do away with clannishness and show genuine support. 

“Two—More performance spaces. There are a number of buildings that could become small, simple theatre spaces if someone wanted to make the investment or if the mayor’s office wanted to get even more serious about supporting the arts.

“Three—If every local theatre company would seek out one new play by an Oklahoma writer and present just one reading over the coming year, giving people a chance to experience something different and not having to take much financial risk in order to do so, think what a service that would be to the level of theatrical expression here. It’s absolutely a win/win.”

The last word goes to youngest of this group, Olivia Jensen, a dancer/choreographer who returned to Tulsa recently after graduating from college in Portland. She says this has been “a good rooting and growing year” in which she’s created new work and taken a seat on Living Arts’ performance art committee. 

“It’s a little paradoxical,” Jensen said, “because I needed to be more locked into community in order to make art, but making art is what truly builds community. I offer my resources to others, they offer theirs to me. That kind of mutual aid is so powerful, but it shouldn’t only be our friends responding to our needs. We have the talent. We need rehearsal space. We need to pay performers. We need small project grants to fuel the visions of individual artists. 

“I often hear how we must elevate the status of the arts in Tulsa with professional development and honest critique,” she continued. “I don’t disagree with that, but I think it comes later. People barely even have time to make work. When your art doesn’t pay the bills, it slides down your list of priorities. 

“That’s my wish for Tulsa. That’s my wish for myself. Art that pays the bills.”

For more from Alicia, read her article on Philbrook’s Native Fashion Now exhibition.