Letter from the Board
The Redhawk Indian Arts Council would like to thank everyone who helped make 2002 a great success. Although it was a tough year for us, as well as many other non-profit organizations based in NYC, we survived. The addition of our Franklin D. Roosevelt event in September was a great success as well. The festival was the largest first annual event we have ever hosted.
2002 was the first Northeastern Dance Championship Powwow Series ever, with our first three events providing points to each of the dancers. The championship was presented at our Sussex County festival awarding a trophy and $300 to the six champions in each category. This was an exciting first time event for competition powwow dancers. A series like this has never been presented before. For 2003, the RHIAC will include the FDR event into the series allowing dancers four events to accumulate points and awards.
We would like to apologize for getting our newsletter out so late this year, but once again we lost the location for our Gateway event. The National Park Service has informed us that we cannot ask for donations of any kind on park property. Last year we let it be known that a suggested donation was being requested at the front gate. This resulted in major financail damage for our organization. However, we are committed to our mission and attempted to raise the $60,000 (in a very short time span) in sponsorship necessary to host a free event, making it necessary to move the festival across the bridge to Fort Tilden-Riis Beach. Our front gate will be on city property, therefore allowing us to charge admission at the gate. We would like to thank our loyal visitors who have seen us through the various locations and ask for your continued support in this brand new location.
Even with this new location and the re-instated admissions fee, our biggest obstacle is funding for our events. Although we receive a grant from New York State, the bulk of our funds come from our supporters and the audience who attend the events. We present the largest non-tribally, non-government funding events in teh East. We are proud that we never ask dancers to pay a registration fee or to buy dinner at our festivals. Each year we select a group of artists from each event and provide them with a reduced fee for booth space. During last year's Gateway to Nations event, so many Men's Southern Straight Dancers arrived that our headstaff pooled $1,500 of their own funds to create a new category for them. With the performance budget alone coming close to $35,000 for each event, funding has been and continues to be a struggle.
The RHIAC truly needs your support. By making a donation, volunteering at our events or just attending one or all of the festivals we present each year, you provide us with that much needed assistance.
We look forward to seeing you on the Powwow trail.
Sincerely,
Board Of Directors
Marlene Kelly
Cliff Matias
Carol Phillips Stallings
Back to About
