More information about The Cedar and becoming a donor
|
The Cedar Cultural Center, widely known as The Cedar, organizes and hosts about 140 events per year in the form of musical performances, dances, spoken word events, community seminars, lectures, workshops, and benefits in its 8,600 square foot facility located in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. The organization was established in 1989 and operates in a building that was constructed as a movie theater in 1948. The hall seats 465 and provides a high-quality sound and an intimate concert experience. Minnesota Public Radio’s The Minnesota Music Encyclopedia states, “The Cedar is regarded as one of the best venues in the country to be able to see and hear an artist as though you were in their living room.”
|
|
Our mission is to promote inter-cultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar is committed to artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists, and community outreach.
|
 |
When you donate to The Cedar, you support local, independent artists and help bring culture to Minnesota by allowing The Cedar to present an interesting, diverse mix of artistic programming from around the globe.
Four easy ways to donate:
- You can donate online by clicking on the "And You?/Click Me" button
- Mail a check to 416 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55454 (printable donation form at bottom of page)
- Call 612-338-2674 ext 2 and leave your credit card number and donation amount on our secure line
- To make a donation through facebook visit our facebook page here
Questions? Call Adrienne at 612-338-2674 ext 103 or email adorn at thecedar.org
|
The Cedar depends on your charitable gifts Revenue from ticket sales only covers 46% of The Cedar’s operating expenses. The Cedar books events that focus on serving the community rather than maximizing revenue. The greater the number of individuals and foundations supporting The Cedar financially, the larger the number and variety of programming opportunities The Cedar can pursue.
Small donations to The Cedar are important
- A gift of any amount shows your support for The Cedar When a large number of individuals donate to an organization, it demonstrates community support. Giving at any level makes an investment in and shows a vote of confidence for The Cedar.
- Small gifts add up to make a significant financial impact
- High donor participation inspires others Individuals with the capacity to give larger donations will be more likely to do so if other community members also support the organization.
We are made of Cedar campaign The Cedar recently launched our annual fund campaign “We are made of Cedar” which will run through 2008; we are excited to announce that “We are made of Cedar” will be the most comprehensive and aggressive annual fund campaign in The Cedar’s history. The campaign features community members whose lives have been positively affected by The Cedar. We are currently telling the story of Sage Dahlen, Cedar house manager, donor, volunteer, and intern.
What your donation supports The Cedar’s annual fund is used to cover operating expenses such as performer fees and staff salaries. Here are a few things The Cedar is doing this year made possible by your donation:
- The Cedar is developing new partnerships with youth organizations and public schools to expose more young people in the Twin Cities to a wide variety of local and international music.
- Every year, The Cedar presents artists who have never before performed in the state or the region. This year, The Cedar is presenting the following artists who will be performing in Minnesota for the first time: Chango Spasiuk, Sinikka Langeland Duo from Norway, Den Fule from Sweden, Chicago Afrobeat Project, and the Pine Leaf Boys.
- Your donation will allow The Cedar to bring back some of your favorite artists including Bruce Cockburn, Dan Wilson, and Altan.
- Your donation will help us to complete upgrades to our sound system, lobby, marquee, and other capital improvements that improve your concert-going experience.
What makes The Cedar unique The Cedar does important work supporting and developing local artists, hosting international artists who may not otherwise visit Minnesota, bringing communities together under a common appreciation for music, offering unique educational opportunities, and facilitating collaborations between artists.
The Cedar provides a much-needed alternative performance space to bars and large capacity venues. As a non-profit organization, The Cedar considers more than just financial advantage when developing programs and booking artists, so our events continue to be unique from what other venues in the Twin Cities offer. After seventeen years of staying in business, The Cedar has demonstrated that its work meets a need in the community that no other organization does and that The Cedar has support and confidence from community members. Staff at The Cedar are told repeatedly by volunteers, patrons, and musicians that they get something from The Cedar they can’t get anywhere else. The Cedar serves as a gathering place for many different communities, allows connection among and between various cultural groups, offers opportunity for connection to ethnic roots, facilitates cross-cultural appreciation and provides a uniquely intimate concert experience.
What people say about The Cedar
“After 12 years covering music in the Twin Cities, I have no issue calling The Cedar the most important music venue in the Twin Cities. It brings cultures together and changes the way people see the world.” –Bill Snyder, local music and arts columnist
“The atmosphere of The Cedar provides the rare opportunity for a musician from a completely different place and culture to share an intimate experience with the audience.” –Olov Johansson of Vasen (Sweden)
“No one else comes close to providing the variety and excellence of performers you sponsor. We cite The Cedar as a main reason for enjoying the cultured life of Minneapolis so much.” –Audience Member
“I can think of no other place that is really for and of the people of the world as The Cedar!” –Audience Member
“I know that if I lived in the Minneapolis area, I would be at The Cedar regularly to enjoy the great diversity of your programming” -David Smith, Somerville, MA
Artistic Excellence As a fan of live music, you may have been to The Cedar to see local artists
like Chris Koza and The Owls, nationally-renowned acts like Andrew Bird and
Ryan Adams, legendary singer-songwriters like Ralph Stanley or Loudon
Wainwright, or international sensations like Tinariwen or Huun-Huur-Tu. No
matter what your jam, The Cedar clearly plays an essential role in
supporting and presenting local, regional, and international live music in
the Twin Cities. Your support not only ensures that The Cedar continues what
it’s doing but will help it emerge as a premiere Twin Cities arts
organization.
The following are some stories that demonstrate the role The Cedar has played in the development of now highly regarded musical artists:
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings After developing a buzz from performances in coffeehouses and at colleges, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings were invited to play on Garrison Keillor’s radio show, Prairie Home Companion. Shortly after, The Cedar hosted their first performance outside of coffeehouses and student centers. Within a year, The Cedar was selling out two nights in a row with Welch and Rawlings. The artists are often credited with inspiring the recent surge of interest in Old Time and Americana music among young pople throughout North America.
Ani DiFranco Ani first played at The Cedar in 1993 when she drew an audience of just 47 people. She played at The Cedar again just a few months later, and within a year and a half, her audience outgrew The Cedar’s hall. The Cedar continued to present and sell out her concerts at 4,500 capacity venues such as Northrop Auditorium and The State Theater. Since her first performance at The Cedar, Ani founded the label Righteous Babe Records. Ani maintains a strong relationship with The Cedar, and in 2005, she once again performed in The Cedar’s 465 capacity hall. The concert sold out in twelve minutes.
Mike Doughty In early 2000s, The Cedar hosted singer/songwriter Mike Doughty who used to front a rock band named Soul Coughing. Doughty had taken an artistic change of direction and was seeking to perform his new songs written in a Woody Guthrie style. The Cedar sold out his first concert at The Cedar. Doughty went on to become well-known in his new style of music and headlined the Minneapolis Basillica Block Party.
|
|
