Only days after hearing good news about funding for the Pride of Baltimore II, there is very grim news about the organization which operates the Hudson River sloop Clearwater. The Clearwater organization announced that it is facing deep financial problems and that it is canceling its yearly music festival. As announced on the festival website today:
Dear Friends,
We are saddened to announce that Clearwater will not be holding its Great Hudson River Revival this year. As you may have heard, the sloop is undergoing its largest restoration ever. It is a restoration that costs $5,000 a day and will run until at least June 2016. We must take this time to focus our effort on making sure the boat can sail again this year. The sloop Clearwater is the foundation of our organization, the vessel that brings people to the Hudson River and an inspiration to all who love her. Our work to protect the Hudson River is still our primary mission.
The festival, which has grown to be one of the largest outdoor folk festivals on the East Coast, is a major fundraiser for the group. On one hand, the group’s finances as in poor enough shape that the risk inherent in organizing a major music festival are too great. On the other, however, the lack of funds which might have been raised from the festival also threatens the organization’s viability. Last’s year’s music festival was significantly hampered by bad weather and only raised $31,000. Past years’ festivals have raised on average about $160,000. The organization is also in the midst of an $850,000 restoration of its namesake sloop.
The Clearwater is a 106′ long Hudson River sloop built in 1968 by the organization founded by the late Pete Seeger, the legendary folk singer and activist. Seeger’s goal was to use the sloop to attract and inform people about the state of the Hudson River, which was seriously polluted. The Clearwater has been educating and inspiring those who sail aboard her for almost half a century. The Clearwater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
The Clearwater’s board met yesterday in Beacon, NY to evaluate the group’s situation. As reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal:
“If we don’t start bringing in money this month and next month, we could literally have to shut our doors,” Clearwater Treasurer Stephen Smith told about 75 people assembled in the historic barn at Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park in Beacon.
Smith during a presentation explained that Clearwater has relied on three revenue streams to operate – the festival, membership and sails on the sloop Clearwater, the iconic boat built to raise awareness of pollution in the Hudson River.
The festival has been held for decades in Westchester and was the group’s primary fundraiser. Seeger, the late Dutchess Junction resident, was a folk singer and environmental activist.
“Without any one of those three income streams, we’re without a rudder,” Smith said. “We’re in very deep trouble…We’re trying to save this organization. You’re in a situation where we can die and we’re trying to save it.”
Click here to help keep the Hudson River sloop Clearwater afloat.
Huzzah! For the good news from South Street’s WAVERTREE and Baltimore’s PRIDE. But the outlook for Sail on the water is not all rosy these days… Many ships and projects have struck upon hard times; unable to finance their sailing programs or even maintenance. Amongst these unfortunate vessels is CLEARWATER; the flagship of Environmental Awareness. CLEARWATER Treasurer Stephen Smith has stated that, “CLEARWATER will not be holding its Great Hudson River Revival this year.” As all their money and effort must go into a $850,000. US Coast Guard mandated refit. The CLEARWATER Revival Music Festival has grown to be one of the most important in the Country and the major source of income for the ships operational funding, but the ship’s company are afraid of risking the required investment in another weather dependent event.
As a veteran of New York’s South Street and Galveston’s ELISSA, with a modicum of fundraising experience, may I make a few suggestions for CLEARWATER: First: STOP! Check your position and consider a course correction. It is almost NEVER advisable to cancel an annual event. Better to break even or even lose a little money to maintain course and speed. Once canceled; for years afterwards people will wonder… “Is it on this year or not?” Second: Get the ship out of the Concert Business. Turn the Music Festival over to a Producer or Production Company. Let them take the risk. Yes, they will take 20% of the gate and a dollar on each tee shirt, etc. But, 80% of $160,000. or even $30,000. at no risk or cost is a darned sight better than nothing. Third: Weather Proof the event. Let the producer Rent a Tent or put out a call to sail makers to each donate a section of a ‘big top’. Forth: Contact previous performers and others sympathetic to the cause, and see how many could afford to ‘donate’ their services at least for this coming concert. Pete Seeger still has a great deal of musical capital in this world.