Gilmore Keyboard Festival draws on connections to stay relevant
March 20, 2017
Our director, Dan Gustin, and assistant director, Alice Kemerling, talked with Jane C. Simons from MiBiz about our upcoming Festival and what it’s like running a non-profit organization.
“We can’t market our product like a furniture store does,” Gustin said. “We’re a nonprofit so we can’t afford to put ads out there even if we wanted to. To get the word out on what we’re doing and what we offer to motivate people to come to our events is a big new challenge right now.”
The Gilmore Keyboard Festival continues to draw patrons year after year by offering new performance venues, educational programs, and live-streamed videos, including Seong-Jin Cho’s “Rising Star Series,” which reached thousands of viewers around the world, including Cho’s native South Korea.
With continued support from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, generous sponsors, and the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, as well as a growing reputation and professional track record, the Gilmore Keyboard Festival is able to bring some of the most eminent piano artists in the world to Kalamazoo.