University of Michigan Credit Union Endows New Arts Adventures Program with $1.5 Million Gift to University Musical Society and University of Michigan Museum of Art

UMCU PROVIDES largest corporate gift to the arts in the Victors for Michigan Campaign

Photo: At a UMS School Day performance. By Peter Smith.

Ann Arbor, MI (September 27, 2016) — The University of Michigan Credit Union (UMCU) has invested $1.5 million to create the University of Michigan Credit Union Arts Adventures Program at the University Musical Society (UMS) and the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). The gift ensures that UMS and UMMA will provide thousands of Southeast Michigan community members and U-M students and faculty with extraordinary access to a diverse array of arts offerings including performances by world-renowned artists, hands-on art making workshops, and engaging events each year.

The donation is the largest corporate gift to the arts in the Victors for Michigan Campaign to date and will deeply impact both the community and campus—enabling compelling encounters with the arts for students and providing grants that extend the availability of arts programs to underserved communities. The UMCU Arts Adventures Program provides funding for these programs in perpetuity, while allowing the organizations to enhance and expand upon programs as needs evolve.

Joe Rosa, Tiffany Ford, and Ken Fischer. Photo by Jesse Meria.

UMCU CEO and President Tiffany Ford stated, “The University of Michigan Credit Union is proud to establish the first corporate endowment for UMS and UMMA, helping to ensure access to extraordinary arts experiences and exceptional learning opportunities for students and families for years to come. We know that involvement in the arts helps to develop important life skills such as creative thinking and the ability to work collaboratively, and we’re thrilled that we can help to foster these skills in young people by creating the UMCU Arts Adventures Program. ”

UMMA was recently recognized as the number one public university art museum in the country by Best College Reviews, and UMS was awarded the 2014 National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest public arts honor. The UMCU Arts Adventures Program will solidify the University of Michigan’s standing as a world-class destination for the cultural and performing arts.

UMS President Kenneth C. Fischer noted, “We are thrilled and honored to have the University of Michigan Credit Union’s support as we work to enrich the lives of students, educators, and our community by connecting them with world-class artists in profound and engaging ways. Because of their support, UMS and UMMA can continue to contribute to the outstanding artistic and cultural tradition upheld by the University and our great city of Ann Arbor. ”

UMMA Director Joseph Rosa added, “The University of Michigan Credit Union’s Arts Adventures Program is a game-changer for UMMA. With this first corporate endowed gift to the Museum and UMS, UMCU distinguishes itself as a philanthropic leader committed to the power of arts experiences for students and families. We look forward to celebrating UMCU’s legacy in the arts long into the future.”

More about UMS/UMMA Programs supported by UMCU Arts Adventures

Photo: U-M Students at UMMA’s Artscapade! event. By Leisa Thompson Photography.

“I love the student tickets from UMS! Instead of paying to see one show per semester that I know I’ll like, the student tickets are so inexpensive that I can afford to see multiple diverse presentations. It’s really changed how I think about performance.” — Jocelyn Aptowitz, English and Performance Arts Management, Class of 2018

“As a student, UMS’s lower priced tickets are an opportunity for me to enjoy outstanding performances regularly. The Performances are a great way to take a break from the stressful environment of classes, and the lower prices make them super accessible.” — Hyelin Yang, Economics, Class of 2018

“Transportation and the cost of getting our students out [to Ann Arbor] to experience these wonderful performances at UMS can present a big issue. I’ve been coming for years myself, but to be able to get the kids here to Ann Arbor for some UMS performances is fantastic.” — Deanna Burrows, Cass Technical High School Orchestra Teacher

“UMMA’s Family Art Studio is a top notch experience. The leaders are engaging & knowledgeable. The art project is directed at all ages, the instructions are simple. So much room for open-ended creativity. For my kids, the bridge between looking at art in the museum and making their own is priceless.”
— Community member, Family Art Studio participant

“Student Late Night is a blast. It impresses U-M students who are already museum lovers and makes converts out of those who are skeptics. It exposes how UMMA can be a fun and relevant museum on campus.”    — Rachel Bissonnette, History of Art, Class of 2016

About the organizations

About University of Michigan Credit Union

The University of Michigan Credit Union (UMCU) is a member owned, not-for-profit cooperative. Our purpose is to aMAIZE our members, community, and team by working together for our shared success.

UMCU is the only credit union headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. When established in 1954, we were 12 members and $9.00 in assets. Today, UMCU has over 75,900 members and $700 million in assets and we continue to grow! With seven offices in Ann Arbor, a branch in Ypsilanti, a branch in Dearborn and three branches in Flint, UMCU is able to serve the financial needs of the University of Michigan and its surrounding communities.

About UMMA

Located at the heart of one of the world’s finest public research universities and housing a venerable, encyclopedic art collection of more than 21,000 objects, the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) seeks to transform individual and civic life by promoting the discovery, contemplation, and enjoyment of the art of our world. UMMA engages more than 245,000 visitors on site annually and a similar size global audience via exhibition tours, publications, and online tools. The Museum is always free and is fully accessible, fostering a climate of inclusion and participation. Recently ranked the number one public university art museum in the country by Best College Reviews, UMMA enables compelling encounters with art that ignite creativity and forge connections across diverse disciplines, geographies, and cultures.

About UMS

One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS (also known as the University Musical Society) contributes to a vibrant cultural community by connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. An integral part of the Ann Arbor community, UMS is an independent non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Michigan, presenting over 70 music, theater, and dance performances by professional touring artists each season, along with over 100 free educational activities. UMS is part of the University of Michigan’s “Victors for Michigan” campaign, reinforcing its commitment to bold artistic leadership, engaged learning through the arts, and access and inclusiveness. UMS was awarded the 2014 National Medal of Arts by President Obama.

Media Contacts and Photos

Download Photos [zip]

Mallory Shea, UMS Marketing & Media Relations Coordinator
734.647.4020 / mschirr@umich.edu

David Lawrence, UMMA Communications Manager
734.647.0524 / dlawr@umich.edu

Harriet Hughes, Community Relations Manager
734.662.8200 / harrieth@umcu.org

UMS’s residency with the New York Philharmonic in October 2015 touched unprecedented numbers of people through performances, master classes, educational activities, and the halftime show at the U-M Homecoming Football game against Northwestern.

A highlight reel of the weekend’s activities:

Performances

The New York Philharmonic gave performances of three different programs in Hill Auditorium October 9-11, 2015. Total attendance was 7,945 across all three performances . First-time UMS ticketbuyers accounted for 38% of the total audience. Attendees came from 37 states plus the District of Columbia, and from 8 foreign countries.

Student Attendance

New York Philharmonic at Univeristy of Michigan, Ann Arbor Residency, 10/08/15. Photo by Chris Lee

Students purchased more than 2,250 tickets at a significant discount and accounted for nearly 30% of paid attendance. UMS subsidized over $110,000 in discounted tickets for students. In addition, students accounted for an estimated 75% of those attending the various residency activities over the course of the multi-day residency.

Residency Activities

As part of the multi-day residency, members of the New York Philharmonic participated in 36 additional public and private activities, including lectures by various Philharmonic staff (5); a side-by-side chamber music concert (and rehearsal) in which New York Philharmonic principal musicians played alongside U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance graduate students (2); classroom visits (5); master classes and conducting roundtables (17); visits to three Ann Arbor high schools (4); an event pairing medical students with Philharmonic musicians (1); an open rehearsal for conducting students (1); and performing at the U-M Hospital as part of the Gifts of Art program (1). The total reach of these activities was 2,495.

In addition, UMS selected U-M student and percussion major Evan Saddler as part of its 21st Century Arts Internship program, and he was placed as an intern with the New York Philharmonic for the summer leading up to the residency. He writes about his experiences on this blog.

Half-time with the New York Philharmonic Brass and the U-M Marching Band

New York Philharmonic at Univeristy of Michigan, Ann Arbor Residency, 10/10/15. Photo by Chris Lee

One of the highlights of the residency was the inclusion of the New York Philharmonic brass section in the University of Michigan Homecoming Football game halftime show, along with the U-M Marching Band, the U-M Alumni Band (a Homecoming tradition), and the UMS Choral Union. Alan Gilbert conducted the 1,000+ musicians in selections from Aida, Bolero, Carmen, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and other works. Total game attendance was 110,452, and the video of the halftime show has received tens of thousands of additional views.

The “digital Big House” resulted in nearly 200,000 people engaged through social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and umslobby.org. The 9 videos that UMS produced during the course of the residency received almost 50,000 views over the course of the weekend.

Eugene M. Grant

New York Philharmonic at Univeristy of Michigan, Ann Arbor Residency, 10/09/15. Photo by Chris Lee

The New York Philharmonic residency marked the first gift of $1,000,000 to UMS, from UMS National Council member Eugene M. Grant (’38, LSA). At 97, Mr. Grant came to Ann Arbor for the weekend’s activities and called it “one of the most memorable events of the past four decades.” Mr. Grant was celebrated at a special “Victors for the Arts” gala dinner on Thursday, October 8 on the stage of Hill Auditorium.

Members of the media interested in more information about the program should contact Sara Billmann, UMS Director of Marketing & Communications, at sarabill@umich.edu.

In fall 2014, UMS launched a new Artist in “Residence” program. Five local artists were chosen to take “residence” at our performances. It’s been a pleasure getting to know this cohort throughout the year and exciting to see how UMS performances have helped inspire new works!

Curious what they’ve been up to? Check out the AiR update below, and come chat with the artists in residence in person at our 2015-2016 Season Launch Party on Friday, April 24, 2015 from 5-7:30 pm in Ann Arbor’s Rackham Graduate Building.

Our Artists in Residence have been busy. Have you heard the news?!

Emilio Rodriguez

Playwright, actor, director, and teaching artist Emilio Rodriguez is co-producing the Metro Detroit Fringe Festival in late June. His play “Swimming While Drowning” will have a reading at the Activate Midwest festival at Western Michigan University in June and also by the Latino/a Theatre Commons in Chicago in July.

Robert James Russell

Writer Robert James Russell just released his chapbook of short stories Don’t Ask Me to Spell It Out. His next book, a Western called Mesilla —is due out this fall.

Additionally, Russell will be joining the New Harmony Writers Workshop as a Fellow this June at the University of Southern Indiana. He is also honored to be leading two writing workshops in May and June at the Great Lakes Commonwealth of Letters (GLCL) in Grand Rapids.

Nicholas Gable

Pianist Nicholas Gable is thrilled to announce a tentative chamber music performance list: (dates TBA)

César Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major
Sergei Rachmaninoff’s G Minor Trio (Elégiaque)
Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata in G Minor

Carolyn Reed Barritt

Painter, drawer, and sculpturist Carolyn Reed Barritt’s artwork was chosen to be reproduced on vinyl and installed on a traffic box downtown Ann Arbor as part of Ann Arbor’s Power Art! public art exhibition. Additionally, three paintings from her Lost Empire series were purchased by Ruth’s Chris Steak House for display in their new Ann Arbor restaurant. Barritt is currently working on a new series of sculptures which she’s very excited about.

Many thanks to our Artists for a wonderful inaugural AiR program. Catch them at the UMS 2015-2016 Season Launch party on Friday, April 24th!

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together a list of interesting stories  and share them with you.  Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• So many galas, so little time:  a look at season-opening celebrations across the country.

Artist Updates

• Pianist Glenn Gould:  Nut or Genius? A fresh look through a new documentary.
• NPR talks with Patti LuPone about life on Broadway and her new memoir
• A reflective Riccardo Muti starts his tenure with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

UMS News

• Don Calamia reviews opening theater production, Susurrus, for Encore Michigan

Local Shout-Outs

• A salute to Lois Beznos by both Crain’s Detroit and Musical America as she steps down as President of the Chamber Music Society of Detroit
• Rolling Stone recognizes Encore Recordings as one of the best

Just For Fun

• Guess there can be only one Graceland:  the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas is closing

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together a list of interesting stories  and share them with you.  Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• The play’s the thing:  tackling children’s theater

Artist Updates

• And the winner is…The Kennedy Center announces its 2010 honorees
• Former Boston Symphony Orchestra onductor Seiji Ozawa on life and work after cancer
• Answering questions about the origins of the universe:  a look at choreographer Liz Lerman’s new work
• Leonard Slatkin extends contract as guest conductor with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

UMS News

• Ann Arbor.com previews UMS’s opening production, Susurrus
• And the first review is in!

Local Shout-Outs

• Michigan State steps up with new music program for Detroit students
• U-M faculty member Evan Chambers and the University Symphony Orchestra celebrate the release of The Old Burying Ground

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. We thought we’d pull together a list of interesting stories each week and share them with you. Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• “Soundcheck Smackdown” looks at the impact and value of live cinema broadcasts.
• The New York Times asks, “Does music make you exercise harder?”

Artist Updates

• Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians authorize strike after talks fail
• A look at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new digs
• The struggles of historic Beijng Opera in the 21^st Century
• The Village Voice chats with jazz pianist Vijay Iyer about his new album, Solo

Local Shout-Outs

• No Labor Day Weekend plans? Head downtown to the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival.

Just For Fun

• Graduating from Kindergarten hardly an accomplishment for this 6-year-old piano prodigy.
• Need to kickstart your workday? Flashmob-turned-flashdance got things jumping at Liverpool Station.

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. We thought we’d pull together a list of interesting stories each week and share them with you. Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• Pianomania puts the wishes of the world’s greatest pianists in the spotlight from the perspective of their Steinway technician
• The Wall Street Journal takes a look at how a new generation of leadership is changing the role of art museums

Artist Updates

• Just who is  Grupo Corpo? Here’s a primer from UK’s The Guardian
• And now that you know them,  check out a review of Grupo Corpo’s  latest work, Parabelo
• In tough times, the Seattle Symphony opts for a “new” approach, commissioning 18 new works for the 10/11 season
• The New York Times reviews a new biography about Ballets Russes master Serge Diaghilev

Local Shout-Outs

• Introducing a new ballet troupe in metro Detroit – crazy talk or toast of the town?

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together a list of interesting stories  and share them with you.  Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• The Los Angeles Times asks, “Are Conductors Really Necessary?”
• The National Jazz Museum and audio engineer Doug Pomeroy are on a mission to save “The Savory Collection” of recorded radio broadcasts from the late 1930s
• John Kay of the Financial Times on measuring the true value of the arts

Artist Updates

• A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Renée Fleming’s new album on CBS’s “Sunday Morning”
• Philadelphia Orchestra Joins the Popcorn Crowd
• The Metropolitan Opera set a new opening day record in box office sales for the 2010/11 season
• The Detroit Symphony Orchestra under pressure with contract talks

Local Shout-Outs

• Detroit’s Music Hall announces 2010/11 season
• A remembrance on how the Barton organ saved the Michigan Theater in 1979

Just For Fun

• Dōmo arigatō, Mr. Roboto. But can they really act?

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together a list of interesting stories  and share them with you. Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

Arts Issues

• Just how do recording artists get paid? A look at the love/hate relationship with music copyright enforcers
• Cleveland music critic loses lawsuit against The Plain Dealer and Cleveland Symphony Orchestra
• Tales from the Fringe:  A different kind of theater experience

Artist Updates

• Rosanne Cash’s memoir, Composed, was released this week
• More on Rosanne Cash, with a “Day in the Life” Profile by New York Magazine

Local Shout-Outs

• The Michigan Theater goes green with solar panel installation thanks to XSeed Energy Project
• Alleged Bansky graffiti piece excavated from Detroit’s Packard Plant up for auction on E-bay

Just For Fun

• Wondering what to do with those extra office supplies? Post-It Brand hosted the 30^th annual Student Design Contest for the world’s largest artistic billboard made entirely of, you guessed it, Post-Its. Check out the winner!

Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. We thought we’d pull together a list of interesting stories each week and share them with you. Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!

National Issues

• In Seattle, dance class (modeled after Mark Morris’ Dance for PD) helps Parkinson’s patients

Artist Updates

• Alec Wilkinson of The New Yorker sits in on Wynton Marsalis’s latest project
• Politics as unusual? Wyclef Jean contemplates run for Haitian presidency
• A match made in heaven or a shotgun wedding? The Wall Street Journal discusses a possible merger between the Kennedy Center and the National Opera
• Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart takes the helm at the BBC Concert Orchestra

Local Shout-Outs

• Ann Arbor theater troupe Performance Network announces its 2010/11 season.
• Blackbird Theatre, another Ann Arbor theater company, spreads its wings with a move to the Kerrytown District

Just for Fun

“Flash Opera” at the Reading Terminal by the Philadelphia Opera Chorus!