Arts Access

We not only engaged a significant number of Somali community members with a wide variety of Cedar events but saw repeat patrons over the course of the year. We forged new partnerships with a number of Somali artists by hosting events that showcased local Somali talent. We forged new partnerships with local Somali music promoters that have helped us to connect with Somali artists nationally and internationally. These connections open the possibility for us to present new Somali artists in the future, and, in turn, be even more successful in appealing to Somali audience members. Feedback from community organizations such as Cedar Riverside Youth Council and Brian Coyle Center indicate that The Cedar is building a reputation as a hub and a go to for the Somali community. At least five new Somali individuals, groups, and organizations have approached us in the past three months wanting to collaborate to present an event in our space in order to reach and serve their community. 2: Over the course of the year, we most certainly saw audience members who had never before been to The Cedar. What’s more, surveys, casual conversations, and feedback from partners informed us that many of these participants had never before experienced a live music event or even a performing arts event. We have witnessed conservative Muslim community members initially hesitant to participate in arts events become encouraged by fellow community members, thoroughly enjoy the music we put on our stage, and come back for subsequent events. Our events that specifically target the Somali community continue to see growing audience numbers as people become more and more aware of our programs and our space.