This is the time of year when we give thanks for the wonderful gifts that we have been given, the experiences we have treasured, the people who have changed our lives.
This year I am giving special thanks for:
1. The people at Heidelberg Project in Detroit. On a site visit there this year I was inspired by the energy, creativity and amazing spirit of the organization. The artists of the Heidelberg Project have decorated an entire neighborhood in Detroit; they have turned a simple few blocks into a riotous, joyful, mind-expanding installation. This is community engagement at its zenith. (They even let me paint a polka dot on a mailbox!) If you are ever feeling jaded or depressed or losing faith in the ability of the arts to affect the community, go visit the Heidelberg Project.
2. The opportunity to participate in the opening of the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. I have been fortunate to spend a good deal of time in the Arab world over the past seven years but playing a role, with my colleague Brett Egan, in the opening of this amazing facility has been a great honor. I remain convinced that the arts can play a substantial role in bridging communities and seeing Omanis embrace the Western and Eastern art in their opera house has only reinforced this belief. It will be years before the full force of the Royal Opera House Muscat is felt but I am convinced it can play a pivotal role in making peace.
3. The cast of Follies. Anyone who produces a show has experienced the joy that true collaboration fosters. But when a cast is as talented and loving as our cast of Follies the adventure becomes truly life-affirming. First at the Kennedy Center and now on Broadway, 'my' Follies family makes all the challenges of mounting a production seem worthwhile. (They even had the entire audience of the Marquis Theatre sing Happy Birthday to me!) I wish everyone a similar collaborative experience.
4. My chairman David Rubenstein. I wish David had been my chairman when I wrote my book, Leading Roles: 50 Questions Every Arts Board Should Ask, about boards of arts organizations. There would have been a chapter on him: his generosity, his kindness, his modesty and his ability to lead by example.
5. Our Summer Fellows. Every year, we invite arts managers from abroad to spend the month of July with us at the Kennedy Center. Actually, they are invited for three Julys in a row. This summer we had almost 45 amazing arts managers with us, some for their first time some for their second year and some for their third. They came from over 20 countries and brought with them the wisdom and experiences they have gained from producing art -- from Nigeria to the Philippines, England and Argentina. I always learn more from them than they learn from me.
It has been a good year albeit a hard one as well. But these people and experiences, and so many more, have made it a rewarding year for me.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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