Wait...It's the 2nd week of August already?

It was just yesterday that I was writing about getting the new position as the Executive Director of the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival.  

And by "yesterday," I mean "three weeks ago."  And by "Executive Director," I mean "The person who knows absolutely nothing about Operations yet but is willing to answer questions and take suggestions."  And by "Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival," I mean "The Hurricane of 250+ Artists and Volunteers that descend on the Interior every July in order to provide 65 concerts, 150 classes and two weeks of Arts Overload to over 800 participants...and one overwhelmed new employee who decided to drag his children along so that he could have minions at his beck and call for the duration of the experience."

One of the interesting things that I am discovering as I move through the non-profits in our community is that there are pockets of different cultures that occupy the same space without having much interaction.  There are hundreds of new people that I am meeting who are life-long alaskans...who know my parents...who are deeply generous with their time and money as they support local non-profits and the arts...and who I have never encountered before.  It is a strange experience.

Another strange experience that I have encountered is this:  It has been a long time since I was the least educated and skilled person in a room.  But this is the scenario that I find myself in over and over again when I share a stage with professional artists:  remarkable individuals who have devoted their lives to honing their crafts and delighting others.

It took me a while to discover what my place was within this company.  The realization came as I was being led up onto the World Music and Dance stage, in front of the Jazz Band and among the Iranian and Flamenco Dancers.  I am excellent at spreadsheets and creating parameters for artists to create within.  That is great during the months of preparation, but during Festival...I am the Everyman.  

Bill Murray once said about the Olympic Games:

Every Olympic event should include one average person competing for reference.

It is  difficult to see just how fast these amazing athletes are when the separation between them is measured in thousandths of seconds.  Similarly it is hard to tell just how impressive our guest artists are when they are only seen with their peers.  I have no illusions of being a professional musician or visual artist or dancer, but I can appreciate and articulate the skill that is being displayed.

For example, we had a group of 9 composers spend 4 days hiking in Denali Park.  Then they were taken North and given 4 days to compose an original piece of music for randomly selected instruments.  Then they returned to Fairbanks where an incredible collection of 6 musicians learned 9 different pieces and then hosted a concert to perform them in the span of 2 days.  It is a program that is unique in the world and each year fills up within hours of being opened.

It is these programs and these individuals that I have been charged with stewarding.  I am honored and I am humbled and I have...49 weeks until the next Festival begins.