TALA | Newsletter | December 2008

1540 Sul Ross Houston, Texas 77006 (713) 526-4876 info@talarts.org http://www.talarts.org

Following a strong year of development activity, TALA has hired two new staff members, Erin Rodgers, Staff Attorney, and Maura Thompson, Office Manager. Erin is a 2007 graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, became licensed in Texas in 2007 and has a background in entertainment law and bankruptcy law. Maura is an artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2006. Former Executive Director Darby Mair has transitioned to a development, marketing and public relations consulting position with TALA. Please welcome Erin and Maura to the TALA team!

Catastrophic Theatre, founded by Houston theater veterans Tamarie Cooper and Jason Nodler in March 2008, has become TALA’s first subtenant at 1540 Sul Ross. Catastrophic moved its offices to 1540 Sul Ross in early December and will be occupying the front two private offices, with office hours primarily in the afternoon and evening. Catastrophic has enjoyed rave reviews for the works it has presented this season, including The Splasher, The Strangerer and Spirits to Enforce. TALA is thrilled to have them as neighbors! Tamarie Cooper may be reached at tamarie.cooper@catastrophictheatre.com

TALA’s annual gala was an evening of great art, great food and great entertainment and raised much-needed funds to support TALA’s professional services programs and mission. Forty-five artists participated in the silent art auction and offered exquisite work for sale, with proceeds going to the artists and TALA. Special thanks to Donna Rogers Fine Art and Diane Marks for donating 100% of the proceeds of the work they donated to TALA. The Crystal Ballroom at the Rice sparkled with guests dressed in Greek regalia, enjoying Greek cuisine by Culinaire and dancing all night to favorites played by the Allen Oldies Band. The honorees “TALA Artist of the Year” Bert Long and the “Karen Susman Outstanding Volunteer of the Year” Peggy Montgomery of ExxonMobil accepted their awards in person. TALA would like to thank all those who were instrumental in the success of the evening, including the gala committee, the art and silent auction subcommittees and the fabulous volunteers from the South Texas College of Law and the University of Houston Law Center, without whose help the evening would not have been possible.

TALA is particularly grateful for the underwriting support provided by: Carol Ann & Bill Anderson, Robert Browning, Nisha Desai & Alan Clark, Julia & Russell Frankel, Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP, Leslie Holland & Dolan Smith, Marathon Oil Company, Kate McConnico, McGlinchey Stafford PLLC, Shelley & Mike Melody, South Texas College of Law, Samantha Schnee & Michael Hafner, Scurlock Foundation, Stumpf Craddock Massey Farrimond, PC, Susman Godfrey LLP, Vinson & Elkins, Jana and Peter Wells, Ley Wilson Development, Yvonne Mikulencak & Alec Horn, Mark B. Schindler, Sheldon & Eve Wisefeld

TALA launched a new open house program on November 15, 2008 in conjunction with the artist resource not-for-profit organization Spacetaker at their offices located on Winter Street in Houston, Texas. TALA law and accounting volunteers spent two hours meeting with individual artists and representatives of arts-related not-for-profit corporations consulting with them on individual issues. While walk-ups were welcome, preference was given to those with appointments. Based on the success of the program, TALA plans to conduct quarterly clinics in the same format during 2009.

January 17: Lawyer Volunteer Training at TALA Offices
February (date TBD): Accountant Volunteer Training at TALA Offices
February (date TBD): Open house at Spacetaker
March (date TBD): Business of Film at SWAMP March: Bayou City Arts Festival, FotoFest

Information about the new 990 will be included in the next TALA Newsletter. Please check back!

TALA needs your support! Please consider becoming a member, or renewing your membership today. Follow the link below for Membership Information and the Membership Form.

TALA wishes to acknowledge the generous support from the following organizations in 2008:

Houston Endowment, Inc. The Brown Foundation Albert and Ethel Herzstein Foundation Harris and Eliza Kempner Foundation Anchorage Foundation Art Colony Association State Bar of Texas Corporate Counsel Houston Arts Alliance Texas Commission on the Arts

In these uncertain economic times, TALA is grateful for the support of the legal and accounting communities and their ongoing generosity in rendering much-needed professional services to those deserving artists and organizations of limited means, who otherwise would not have access to such services.

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Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) organization and has been providing pro bono legal and accounting services for artists and non-profits since 1979.

1540 Sul Ross Houston, Texas 77006 (713) 526-4876 info@talarts.org http://www.talarts.org