Performing Arts of New England is an online performing arts journal dedicated to enriching the lives of residents of the New England states by providing information that promotes knowledge of, interest in and access to performances of classical music, opera and ballet in each of the New England states. Originally founded as Classical Voice of New England, the website has operated since 2007, providing a regional New England calendar of classical performances, reviews of a cross-section of performances, news of upcoming events and feature articles concerning New England artists and arts organizations.
With the decline in arts coverage in national and regional print media, arts organization websites have had to go it alone. There are several websites that post information and reviews for classical performances in the New England area, but none is complete and region-wide. It is Performing Arts of New England’s goal to become the comprehensive source of information for the New England states, connecting audiences and performers, and promoting interest in the classical arts.
As our website has grown in interest, we have received so many calendar and news postings that we realized that each state would benefit from its own dedicated webpage. Our new website offers individual state webpages under the Performingartsne.org website, including Performing Arts of Massachusetts, Performing Arts of Maine, Performing Arts of New Hampshire, Performing Arts of Vermont, Performing Arts of Connecticut, and Performing Arts of Rhode Island. With regional focus, our writers can highlight both young performers at the start of their careers as well as experienced professionals and long established musical groups. Along with this restructuring, we have added important new features, including easily accessible links to organizations, a job posting page, and a Friends page. In the near future our web-shop will offer access to CD’s of local artists and organizations.
Our services are directed toward all age groups and income levels. More specifically, we are committed to bringing new audiences to performers and new performers to audiences. We hope that the information we provide will enhance the careers of New England musicians and performers, and will also add to the materials music teachers rely upon. Our services add greatly to the outreach of arts organizations, and we look forward to developing additional programs to spread education about the classical arts throughout New England.
Performing Arts of New England is staffed by freelance reviewers and feature writers, under the direction of the Executive Editor. Our budget includes revenue from advertising on our website, benefit musicales, general donations and grants. In 2009 we received the first statewide grant from the Virginia Somers Foundation. This grant was earmarked to provide features and reviews of performers who received their education in the state of Maine. This has been a very successful approach, as can be seen from the numerous reviews highlighting performances in Maine. We would like to pursue this model within each New England state.
Classical Voice of New England, Inc., now doing business as Performing Arts of New England, is a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Executive Editor
Phyllis Nordstrom
Board of Directors
Jennifer Arps, President
John Daamen, Treasurer
Sabra Jones, Secretary
Carole Ward Troy
Advisory Board
Mimi Bravar
Leslie Giammanco
Thomas Gregg
Dorothy Kitchen
Joseph Kitchen
Nicholas Kitchen
John MacLeod
Todd Morrissette
Mary Elizabeth Nordstrom
Everett Nordstrom
Alex T. Pratt, III
