{"id":1103,"date":"2024-11-26T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=1103"},"modified":"2024-10-22T16:06:07","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T16:06:07","slug":"the-2024-carol-for-nonprofit-arts-organizations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/11\/26\/the-2024-carol-for-nonprofit-arts-organizations\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2024 Carol for Nonprofit Arts Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The holiday tradition continues because we know you won\u2019t read it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Ana Pereira from Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Each year, we attempt a rather bad parody of a famous holiday poem or song to run on the Tuesday before US Thanksgiving, the least likely time you\u2019ll read it. Let alone sing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, we butchered the famous Welsh carol, \u201cThe First No\u00ebl\u201d (complete with diaeresis). It\u2019s pretty cringe-worthy, but no more so than believing that nonprofit art is a product and not the means to a charitable end. Or relentlessly delivering a seemingly endless number of year-end emails, texts, and phone calls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh boy! Giving Tuesday is on the way! Happy badgering!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The first email:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelp support us,\u201d they plead.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor we\u2019re bound to go under,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lest you answer our screed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe do art, that\u2019s all we do,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And we do it each day,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tho\u2019 we never have asked<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need it that way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Email, email, email, emaiiiiiiilllll.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two short days later comes another big wail.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The second email:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDear Friend\u201d they implore,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still waiting to hear<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going to give more.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cSee how all the people came,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our attendance is fine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it\u2019s great, what\u2019s the prob?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just get their bucks, not mine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Campaign, campaign, campaign, campaaaaaiiiiiiign.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here comes December \u2014 they ask once again.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The third email<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 2 short days hence:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSales of tickets just cover<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2019bout fifty percent.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe rest comes from your gifts,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And your wealthy friends\u2019, too.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you give to our art,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beneficiary is you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Year end. Year end. Year end. Year eeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donors donate so that they may attend.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The last email<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sent on New Year\u2019s Eve morn:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSend us cash or you\u2019ll lose<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tax deductions,\u201d they warn.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Then a call, then a call.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every hour, a call.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every minute \u2019til midnight,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every day through the fall.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Call the rich. Feed the rich. Friend the rich. Love the riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiich.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They program art just for your little niche.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Try instead this email<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or this charity letter:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat can we do to make our<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community better?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re a 501(C)(3).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We solve problems with our art.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you need our help,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d be happy to start.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Charity. Charity. Charity. Charityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If lives get better, then we\u2019ve earned our fee.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

No\u00ebl. No\u00ebl. No\u00ebl. No\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eb\u00eblllllllllllllllllllllllll.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t confuse benevolence with sell, sell, sell, sell.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Makes a great holiday gift for your board!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The holiday tradition continues because we know you won\u2019t read it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1104,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20,22,100,40,32,25,26,18,17,27,99],"tags":[55,41],"class_list":{"0":"post-1103","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-board-of-directors","9":"category-board-of-trustees","10":"category-book-recommendation","11":"category-change","12":"category-charity","13":"category-development-and-fundraising","14":"category-giving-tuesday","15":"category-nonprofit","16":"category-nonprofit-arts-organizations","17":"category-philanthropy-and-donors","18":"category-scene-change","19":"tag-backlash","20":"tag-fundraising","21":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Happy-Badgering.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1591,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/11\/25\/the-2025-final-never-to-be-repeated-carol-for-nonprofit-arts-organizations\/","url_meta":{"origin":1103,"position":0},"title":"The 2025, Final, Never-To-Be-Repeated, Carol for Nonprofit Arts Organizations","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"November 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Every year about this time, another carol and generally, you don't read it. 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