What is the money being raised for? 

The tax-deductible donations received from this event will provide scholarships for programs offered by Stage Right Performing Arts, as well as other qualified arts education programs across the KC metropolitan area.  Additional funds raised will be used to provide expanded, and more comprehensive resources for local youth arts organization, community theater programs, and performing arts departments of area school districts who serve at-risk and disadvantaged students. 

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What is the Youth Arts Alliance of Greater Kansas City? What happened to the Stage Right Arts Foundation?
The Youth Arts Alliance of Greater Kansas City is the new name for what was previously called the Stage Right Arts Foundation. The name was recently changed to better and more accurately describe the expanded mission of the organization. The name was also changed in an attempt to alleviate confusion that may have previously existed due to the similarity in names between what was the Foundation (a non-profit organization) and Stage Right Performing Arts, LLC (a for-profit company). Both of these entities have, since their inception in 2010, been kept as completely separate organizations in terms of finances and purpose.
 

Stage Right Performing Arts charges for camps and choirs, so why is more money needed?
There are two entities that can easily be confused. First, Stage Right Performing Arts, LLC offers show choirs, summer musical theater camps, performing arts training, as well as musicals and plays during the school year. Stage Right Performing Arts is a private enterprise and none of the funds raised at the Amplify Your Voice fundraising event will go directly to Stage Right Performing Arts. As was the case before with the Stage Right Arts Foundation, Stage Right Performing Arts may receive funding in the form of scholarships from the Alliance to allow qualifying students the opportunity to participate in show choirs, summer camps, and other programs.

Second, the newly renamed Youth Arts Alliance of Greater Kansas City (formerly the Stage Right Arts Foundation) was initially formed to provide scholarships to students who faced financial barriers to participation in arts education. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) charitable entity, with a mission and a purpose completely separate from Stage Right Performing Arts. Stage Right Performing Arts students will continue to have access to scholarships through the Alliance to help pay for programs at Stage Right Performing Arts.

The expanded mission of the Youth Arts Alliance is to provide even greater access to arts education for the at-risk and disadvantaged youth of KC through an enhanced scholarship program and community outreach programs. Community outreach will include, but not be limited to, grants to qualified performing arts programs in the KC area, funding to provide supplemental performing arts instruction at area schools through teaching artists and experts in technical theater, access to technical theater equipment, and job skills training/internships for those interested in technical or business careers in the arts.

Is this fundraiser for a sound system?
The mission of the Youth Arts Alliance is to provide even greater access to arts education for the at-risk and disadvantaged youth of KC through an enhanced scholarship program and community outreach programs. A little history is necessary. The idea for equal access to quality equipment used in the performing arts, such as a sound system or lighting equipment, is what launched the initial discussions about sharing resources in the community (both equipment and instructors) and for the fundraising needed to cover the associated costs. This initial idea was also the catalyst for growing the overall mission of the Alliance to what is being sharing in the FAQ section and on this website.
 

As an example - a sound system is expensive, but key part of any high-quality theatrical production or concert. The reality is there are many schools, community theaters, and performing arts programs across the metropolitan area that need access to this kind of equipment, but that cannot afford the cost for equipment that is used for less than 10% of the time. So, a co-op arrangement seems to make the most sense.

So, will the money raised from Amplify Your Voice go towards a new sound system?  Maybe, if enough is raised. At some point, this technical theater equipment program will be one among many community outreach offerings by the Alliance. The sound system, lighting equipment or anything else purchased will be 100% owned by the Youth Arts Alliance and shared with other arts programs in the area as part of the Alliance’s expanded community outreach programming.