The Latest
Learning About Juneteenth
Today we pause to reflect & commemorate Juneteenth. In the spirit of our commitment to cultivate an anti-racist culture at Bluecoats, we're reading, listening & sharing the following resources.
#TrueBlooTuesday: 2018 Episode 8 - The Idea of an Artist
For this week's #TrueBlooTuesday we're taking an inside look at our 2018 production #Session44, which explored the artist’s creative journey through the lens of Billie Holiday and her masterpiece “God Bless The Child.” Hear from #bloo18 members as they break down the show part by part!
Monday Memory: When the season debut was in... April?
As the calendar turns to June and eyes anxiously check the calendar for the start of the DCI season, in the late 80s and early 1990s, Bluecoats debuted their season in April. April? No, not a finished field show, but it was a debut nonetheless. For years Drum Corps Associates (DCA) held a Spring preview of the upcoming season and several DCA and alumni corps would perform at the Forum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the annual Serenade in Brass. It was a way to provide a little hype for the upcoming season after a winter where corps have had a chance to rehearse the music for the upcoming year.
Our Work Continues
We have work to do, and a critical first step has been to form an advisory council of staff, members, and alumni to lead Bluecoats as we seek to learn and educate our participants, staff, and volunteers about racism and to incorporate anti-racist policies into our organization. This council will work in the near term on educational and conversational initiatives, and in the long term on broader goals for an anti-racist, diverse, and inclusive Bluecoats Community.
Ric Brown and Bryen Warfield are leading this council and have assembled a team that, along with executive leadership and participant representatives, will begin this important work.
Fundraising Milestone Reached
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve surpassed $200,000 of our 2020 Fundraising Goal of $350,000! We announced this goal at the beginning of May to fulfill our refund obligations and keep the Bluecoats organization alive and operating after the cancellation of our 2020 season.
We Have Work To Do
As the events of the past several days have made even more clear, racism - systemic and individual - remains the central problem facing the United States in 2020. We are saddened and outraged by the unlawful and senseless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and untold other Americans of color before them. Our hearts go out to their families and our African American community members. It is time to face the reality of this crisis head on.
The Helmet Campaign
During the past few months, the Bluecoats Community has demonstrated a level of support unmatched in Bluecoats history. The cancellation of the Bluecoats’ 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic has created one of the most significant challenges the Bluecoats organization has ever faced.
At the beginning of May, we announced a 2020 fundraising goal of $350,000 and so far, the Bluecoats Community has come together to raise over $177,500 towards that goal! With just under half the goal remaining, the Helmet Fund is being launched. Donors who make a gift of $250 or greater will receive an official Bluecoats commemorative helmet as a thank you for their generous donation!
#TrueBlooTuesday: 2015 Episode 8 - Tell
Hear the moments from the season that stood out the most to four of our #bloo15 members! This week’s #TrueBlooTuesday features some of the stories that only our members could tell.