With temperatures nearing the 90s, it’s hard to give much thought to holiday cheer and New Year celebrations. Winter is distant, and it can stay that way, thankyouverymuch. That is, until news of the end of a 37-year tradition is announced, bringing to the forefront yet another instance of an arts organization going belly up because of a lack of funding. That’s right, First Night Boston ceased operations on June 30, 2013, with the organization citing the unsustainable nature of its business model as the culprit. No more magnificent, 30-ton ice sculptures decorating Copley Square, Grand Processions led by master puppeteers down Boylston Street, or spectacular firework shows at midnight. This year, there will be 1000 less artists featured, 200 less performances, and one million less visitors to the streets of Boston on December 31st.
Who even knew that it was in the realm of possibility that the country’s oldest and largest First Night celebration could come to a grinding halt? It doesn’t seem to make sense that decades-old traditions should have shelf lives. Started by a group of artists and community activists, First Night was created in the ‘70s as an alternative to New Year’s celebrations, one that is family-friendly and gave the city of Boston a chance to showcase its vibrant arts culture.
However, there is still a silver lining. Mayor Tom Menino has promised there will in fact be a First Night, even if it means planning will be taken over by the city itself. What is the lesson here? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. The popularity of the event suggested that it was a perennial feature. It also earned the city a pretty $25 million, so in some ways it must have been economically viable. But corporate sponsorships nonetheless nosedived from nearly $900,000 in 2003 to just over $250,000 this year. It seems that First Night really just lost out in this round. And though it’s still too early to say, it’s possible New Year’s in Boston may have lost out, too.
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Over the next few weeks we will also be publishing posts about our singers recent tour in Southeast Asia, which talk about their travels and experiences. Check it out here.