A Few Examples of How Organizations May Use the Funds
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THE FRIENDS OF MUSIC

The Friends of Music, Inc., founded in 1968, is an all-volunteer organization that provides scholarships for the most talented music students at the University of New Mexico; develops and cultivates interest in (and financial support for) music education; and presents and supports musical and other cultural programs throughout our community.

Friends of Music, in cooperation with KHFM, supports a special program called Music is Instrumental. Music is Instrumental collects used musical instruments from Friends of Music supporters and KHFM listeners, arranges to have them refurbished, and then donates them to the Albuquerque Public Schools music program. The instruments vary greatly in age and quality and are sometimes expensive to repair. Funds have been donated by a variety of groups and individuals for that purpose in the past. This year, it collected 140 instruments that were then refurbished for use by children who could not afford to rent or purchase an instrument of their own. Each child is asked to return the instrument to APS once he or she is finished with it so that it can be “played forward” to another child.

Current funding is from corporate grants and in-kind contributions. Additional funding from Quality of Life funds would mean:

NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE OF NEW MEXICO

The distinctive dance programs at National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI-NM) help children develop discipline, a standard of excellence and a belief in themselves that will carry over into all aspects of their lives. NDI-NM provides weekly classes in an athletic freestyle jazz dance in public elementary schools throughout the school year, taught by highly trained teachers and piano accompanists at every class. The year culminates in original dance productions attended by hundreds of cheering parents, students, teachers and community members. In 2004, the President’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities recognized NDI-NM with a “Coming Up Taller” award for its transformative programming.

With QOLI funding, NDI-NM would:

“Many of our participating students have language barriers or learning disabilities, and are unable to perform well in a traditional classroom. Through NDI-NM’s purely kinesthetic learning environment, these children often experience success for the first time and begin to build their self-esteem. As their confidence grows, their behavior and performance often improve both at home and in the classroom.”
         - Jackie Oliver, Albuquerque Artistic Director

LOS REYES DE ALBUQUERQUE

He missed the chance once to perform for the Beatles, but Roberto Martinez, Sr., hasn’t missed many other opportunities in his lifelong career as a musician. With Los Reyes de Albuquerque, the group that he founded in 1962, Martinez has done it all – written and performed a hit song (Corrido de Daniel Fernandez, about a Viet Nam era soldier from Los Lunas who threw himself on a grenade and saved the others on his patrol), opened for Jose Feliciano, toured the nation several times, and served as a New Mexico State Arts Commissioner. His longest and most rewarding gig is his present one, which started when he retired from his “day job” at Kirtland in 1982, and began taking his joyful form of music to the people in senior centers and social service agencies throughout the state. “We take our music to people who because of health reasons or their financial situation, can’t go out to the theater or to concerts to see live performances,” Martinez said.

Today’s Los Reyes de Albuquerque, a nationally renowned group that plays a wide range of traditional Spanish folk music, includes (l to r) Stanley Gutierrez, Angela Perez, Ray Flores, Robert Martinez, Jr. , Antonio Orduno, and Roberto Martinez, Sr. Flores and Martinez, Sr., are two of the original four who founded the group in 1962.

“It’s our ministry. It’s such a gift when you can see the joy of people when they listen to our music.” The venues have grown to include children’s day care and educational centers, as well.

The project began with a New Mexico Arts grant to provide entertainment in some 25 senior centers and nursing facilities after Christmas, when many people faced the post-holiday blues. “From there, it just took off, and became year round,” he said. Two recurring annual engagements are the Foster Grandparents Appreciation Dinner at the Albuquerque Hotel, and the Annual Seniors Thanksgiving at the Hyatt Downtown.

To finance their charitable work, Los Reyes de Albuquerque formed a non-profit corporation that for the last 24 years has been diligently and persistently applying for grant money from New Mexico Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund and the Albuquerque Community Foundation, among others.

And that’s why Martinez, now 77 and a proud senior, isn’t going to miss the opportunity to speak up on behalf of the Quality of Life Initiative. “We’re very grateful for all the support we get, but our budget isn’t very big and it varies so much. We get a lot of mileage out of what we get, but we could be doing so much more. Right now, we’re only doing 120-150 presentations a year. In a good year, we’ve done as many as 200. The call for presentations is always there.

“My face lit up when I read about the Quality of Life Initiative. It would enable us to do so much more. This is a chance for us all to come together to contribute to the entire community. I know it’s a tax but there are some things we need,” he said. “Can you imagine life without the arts? I can’t.”

Oh, and what was that Beatles story? It seems Los Reyes de Albuquerque was at the New York Hilton, performing at a VFW convention when the Beatles were hot. Having heard Los Reyes play, one of the Beatle’s wives asked them if they’d come to the Beatle’s suite so that “the boys” could hear them. “And this bunch of guys from Albuquerque turned them down because we were on our way to another gig,” Martinez recalled. “I’m still living that down.”
  

WORKING CLASSROOM

Working Classroom is a multi-ethnic and diverse community of student and professional artists, actors and writers. Almost all of Working Classroom’s students attend on full scholarship. The bilingual theater and arts programs offer a unique combination of academic and artistic education and social action, and provide professional development opportunities for talented young artists and actors from historically ignored communities (low-income, youth, Hispanic, immigrant and Native American populations). Working Classroom offers bilingual theater productions, directing and teaching residencies, local, national and international touring and casting services, and operates a free art gallery.

With increased funding through the QOLI, Working Classroom would:

• Bring in established successful Native American playwrights, directors, and actors as artists-in-residence for its recently inaugurated Native American acting program.

• At least double the number of students served by expanding the acting and arts studios from one each to two each, by creating a spaces for a kiln and a darkroom, a framing room and a place for students to do homework and hang out.

• Expand the part-time tutor program. It’s critical that our students acquire the academic skills they need to be successful. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in school.

• Offer a family rate to Working Classroom theatrical productions.

- Nan Elsasser, Founder and Executive Director
- Rebeca Mayorga, Artistic Director
Rebeca is a Working Classroom alumna who entered WC as a 14-year old non-English speaking immigrant, became a professional actress, attended University Miami on a Working Classroom scholarship, graduated with honors and returned to run the theater program.

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