A look back at 2023 and a look forward to 2024 with Lisa Buck

2023 was a fabulous year on many fronts for BuckingJam Palace and the charitable non-profit that runs our concert series, The BJP Music Foundation. We sold out our concerts; we hosted top-tier jazz artists; we collaborated on projects with the American Consulate, Women Band Directors International and Jazz Denmark. There were so many beautiful musical moments and every concert felt like a celebration with valued friends.

The BJP Board did a lot of strategic work this year around what the future might look like for our volunteer-run organization. In February 2023, we welcomed a largely new volunteer board of directors and passed the Board Chair torch to Jodi Lucas, our former VP. I love that our business model works because of the strength of our community and the goodwill of our dedicated volunteers: that’s how the arts have always thrived.

We are clearly filling a gap in Calgary’s music culture. But if we want to be sustainable, we need to address our vulnerabilities: reliance upon a free venue, volunteer leaders who have reached capacity, and opportunities limited by space and budget to expand programming and welcome a wider community, including young people, to concerts.

We Canadians have a lot to be thankful for in the grant funding that is available to the arts. In 2023, the BJP Music Foundation was successful in securing grants for the following projects that will support our sustainability:

The Rozsa Foundation, in concert with CADA and The Calgary Foundation, funded a Future Focus grant. Our board and stakeholders worked with Michèle Stanners of ViTreo to identify what BJP needs to do to become a sustainable organisation.
The Calgary Foundation funded a half-time Executive Director for two years via a Community Grant which allows me (Lisa) to step down as ED. We were proud to be one of only two arts organizations to be successfully funded during this grant cycle. The BJP Board was delighted to welcome Shana Barbour to this role on January 8th, 2024.
The Calgary Arts Development Authority provided an operating grant over the next two years. This will allow us to grow our organizational capacity by renting space outside of the house, expanding our programming, hiring a sound engineer and photographer for some concerts, updating the website, and subsidizing tickets for students….
The Crisis Recovery Fund provided the means to work with IntegralOrg to rework the archaic foundational and governance policies of the Companies Act under which BJP is incorporated. We will be establishing a process for making qualified disbursements to grantee organizations which will allow us to provide tax-receipting support to the work of organizations whose values resonate with those of BJP but who do not have charitable status.

We don’t want to become reliant upon grants for our operation: this funding helps us get over the speed bump of developing capacity—both in space and personnel—when we are already functioning at our limit. So here is what you can expect to see over the next two years and the impact of the work we anticipate:

Concerts in other spaces. Affordable venue space in Calgary is almost non-existent. BJP is looking for unique character spaces with good acoustics that can seat an audience of 100 and—here’s the biggest challenge—has a grand piano. (The cost to bring in a piano for each concert is about $1000, even if the rental is donated). If, in your travels, you come across spaces that might work, please let us know! Ultimately, we’d like to find a permanent home where we could host jazz each weekend and make space available to artists and other non-profit organizations. The City of Calgary offers property tax relief to businesses who lease to non-profits. We think Calgary is ready for weekly programming in a jazz club and are working towards making that happen.
A donor and sponsorship program. To be self-sustaining, we need to build our own funding for a part-time staff person and programming. We will not compromise our core commitment to paying musicians fairly in order to fund the running of the organization: that would defeat our whole purpose. We want to keep our grass-roots approach while recognising that the workload has exceeded what our volunteer leaders can manage.
More collaborations. The Jazz Camp for Girls that we presented in collaboration with Jazz Denmark in November was incredibly inspiring and involved the support of CADME and Long and McQuade, as well as Nordic Bridges and other Danish funders. This international collaboration was the first of its kind in Canada. Behind the scenes, our house performance space has been used by The CPO, IndigiDivas, the Allegra Chamber Orchestra, Women Band Directors International, Frog Fest, The American Consulate, and many artists who needed rehearsal and recording space. We want to expand our capacity to share creative space and support the efforts of our colleagues in the artistic community.

Many of you know BuckingJam Palace’s origin story: my family started hosting music in 2015 when Calgary’s only jazz club at the time folded. Tom and I were not passionate jazz fans but we loved the community of jazz musicians we had come to know through our son, John. Together with daughters Emily and Katie, we decided to light a candle rather than curse the darkness and outfitted our 1910 home as a venue. That decision has enriched our lives more than we could possibly have imagined.

So, THANK YOU…

To the board members of the BJP Music Foundation who have worked so hard to shepherd our venture into the future;

To the musicians who have played our concert series and shared their spirits and creativity with us;

To the funders who have provided a way forward;

And to all of you who come to concerts, bring your friends and always have a supportive word. It is a privilege to know you.

Forward into 2024!

Lisa
Artistic Director and Founder, BJP Music Foundation

Journey before destination: greetings from BJP's new Executive Director Shana Barbour

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about trajectory. With my recent warm welcome into the BJP Music Foundation community and my new role as Executive Director, I wonder what forces were at play to help me end up here? As I watch my two emerging adults (twins, 21 years old this month) consider what they want to be when they “grow up”, I can only imagine what life has in store for them, and naturally begin to reflect upon my own professional journey, and decisions made over a very rich lifetime so far.

As a young person, I don’t recall having a clear path or really knowing what I wanted to do as an occupation. My earliest memory of this was when I was 5 years old, convinced I wanted to be a bus driver. I’m not entirely sure why, but the memory is still quite clear in my mind’s eye. A high school aptitude test suggested I be a flight attendant because I liked working with people and travelling. Instead, I took a year of Business Administration in college upon the recommendation of my dad, but soon realized that was not my path. With a somewhat creative nature, I shifted to a diploma course in Interior Design, and while I loved the creative outlet, I realized that wasn’t quite it either. Finally, after enjoying a particularly riveting criminology course, and with my young, somewhat naïve outlook, I realized I was going to change the world by helping people and went on to complete a Sociology degree. From there, I spent the next 10 years working in different capacities for Hull Services, providing support to children, youth and families, and learning about community development. As my introduction into the non-profit sector, I knew this was how I was going to spend my life. Then, enter burnout, stage right!

After needing a change from the toll that such emotional front-line work can bring, I decided I wanted to save not only people, but apparently the world, and embarked on a master’s degree in Sustainable Development. The next almost decade of my life was spent working with the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society, a small but mighty all hands-on deck volunteer organization, where I had many incredible opportunities to learn the ins and outs of non-profit work. I was fortunate to be involved in everything from volunteer and program management, Human Resources, fund development, occupational health and safety, managing teams, building critical collaborative partnerships with donors, partners and sponsors, and working with all levels of government on comprehensive ecological projects. Then in 2022, I began working for the Alexandra Community Health Centre as a grant writer in their Fund Development department, securing funding to ensure the front-line teams can do what they do best: provide critical healthcare, mental health, social and housing support to Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens. Graciously, they have allowed me to remain with them part-time so I can again stretch my wings and become part of the BJP Music Foundation.

But what does any of this have to do with jazz or the arts?

Well, nothing, really. And if I were to look back on my early life, there is little chance I would have expected that I would end up where I am. There are inherent trade-offs between having a solid plan for your life and following it diligently, versus being open and embracing new, unique and unexpected opportunities that come your way. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, although I do believe there is a special kind of creativity and magic that happens in the latter. It’s of course a balance between the two and that balance is also reflected in the work we do. So much of the magic happens organically because of beautiful connections and relationships that develop along the way and that could not have been anticipated. That’s a big part of the wave we need to ride.

It may sound clichéd, but it’s the journey, not the end point, right? So, the trajectory towards and end goal is important, but it is driven by what we learn along the way. One of the most important things I’ve learned about myself throughout this journey is that I am driven wholeheartedly by my values, including lifelong learning and being involved in important work that makes even a little corner of the world a better place. I have learned that community is an important common denominator in every part of the voluntary sector: we build it, we support it, we depend on it. So, whether it’s helping people, supporting the environment, or bringing attention to the arts, I’m grateful to be part of it. And I am grateful knowing that the richness of experience and understanding I’ve developed throughout my time in the voluntary sector will be of service to the BJP Music Foundation.

So, back to trajectory. When I think back to my first awareness of BuckingJam Palace, the group had just formed. It’s incredible to see how far they have come in just a few short years. As so often is the case with grassroots organizations, they are driven by sheer passion, grit, tenacity and a deeply embedded belief in the importance of their work. Where we are today is a testament to the former and current board members and volunteers who have paved the way. From what I can see, the trajectory has been steadily upwards. And with the support of our community, the sky is the limit!

On behalf of the incredible Board of Directors of the BJP Music Foundation, I express my most sincere gratitude to the Calgary Foundation for the financial support provided to help launch us into the next phase of growth and development. I am thrilled and honoured to be part of such trailblazing work, with some of the most passionate and heartfelt people I have had the great fortune to meet.

And thank you to Lisa, Jodi, Tiro, Céline, Janice, AJ and Graham for the warm welcome and their faith in me. I have no doubt that we are on the path to great things together.

Musings for 2023: Looking ahead for BJP with Lisa Buck

I hope this note finds you happy and well! The new year is well underway and I want to share with you a look back over past year’s events and a look forward to where BJP is headed.

BJP had its AGM on February 22nd and we said good-bye to three retiring board members: Steven Gallant, Emily Buck and Richelle Wiseman. So much gratitude goes out to these folks for their hard work. Incoming board members are Janice Woodward, AJ Benoit and Graham Frampton, all of whom bring deep experience and enthusiasm and will be invaluable in stewarding BJP— along with continuing board members Jodi Lucas, Tiro Clarke, Céline Peterson and Lisa Buck— through in its next stages of growth.

BJP worked hard during the pandemic to develop projects that employed artists, from the Canada Council underwriting the making of our documentary, Change the Tune, to FACTOR supporting educational webinars and concert recordings and Calgary Arts Development supporting the creation of our animated video, Toones. Our programming efforts put tens of thousands of dollars into the hands of musicians at a time when they needed it most.

We are back to hosting a full season of ten to fourteen concerts from October to June and are almost completely booked to the end of June 2024. This is both great and challenging. I get many, many more requests from outstanding musicians that we can possibly handle. The number of affordable music venues in Calgary with a backline was minuscule pre-pandemic and it is dire now. We run a very lean operation at BJP and prioritize paying musicians well: rising costs for insurance, food (we feed all the groups who play here) and software mean that even with a sold-out crowd, we can fall short of breaking even. So, how to plan for the future?

First, we need administrative help. I have been a volunteer Executive Director since 2015, along with working as Artistic Director. As BJP’s reputation has grown, so has the work load and it is too much for one person. Now that we have charitable status, we will be looking to expand our operational and programming capacity by building a donor program—we are registered for tax-receipted donations through Canada Helps—and applying for operational grants.

Second, we want to explore the possibility of holding additional concerts in a venue outside of the house. The demand is there and we’d like to create the capacity to meet it. I am participating in a Creative Spaces Mentoring program organised by Calgary Arts Development and ArtsBuild Ontario that is aimed at helping arts organizations find affordable spaces. To continue to host the top-tier musicians we currently book, BJP needs a venue that includes a backline with a PA system, a drum kit and a grand piano. Our vision is to collaborate with other music organizations who have the same needs to establish a music venue we could all share. It’s a long-term goal but one that is important to work towards.

The Caili O’Doherty Quintet: Caili O'Doherty, Tahira Clayton, Roxy Coss, Adi Meyerson, and Cory Cox. Photo by Jodi Lucas (@jodijets)

At the start of 2023, we collaborated with Women Band Directors International to host a sold-out concert featuring Christine and Ingrid Jensen as part of a Girls in Jazz weekend that saw ninety-three registrants; and we collaborated with the United States Consulate General to host a private concert with the Caili O’Doherty Quintet for guests from Calgary’s Black Chamber of Concert in honour of Black History Month. Both those groups would like to continue collaborating. In January, Tom and I had the privilege of welcoming Janna Sailor, conductor of the all-female Allegra Chamber Orchestra, to our house for three days of rehearsals and recordings with IndigiDivas, a group of five, Indigenous female concert vocalists. All these projects prioritize gender parity, inclusion and diversity in music, work that is vitally important and a key focus for our Foundation. Many of you will know that this is also a cause I feel passionate about and I am delighted to say that the all-female ensemble that I manage, The Ostara Project, has been nominated for a JUNO in the category of Vocal Jazz Group of the Year.

So, so much good stuff happening and the challenge is to keep it happening. I often shake my head that what started out as a family initiative to provide grass-roots support to the local music community has grown into a venue known and beloved throughout Canada and beyond, run by a charitable foundation, and attracting top-tier talent from across North America. What a journey!

Thank you all for being a vital part of what we do. Attending concerts, donating time and money and expertise, loading the dishwasher and folding chairs and sending notes of encouragement and appreciation: this is what has built a community that I feel absolutely privileged to be part of. So many lovely artists in our future and so much good music to look forward to. Upward and onward!

Lisa Buck

How to access advance tickets using your BJP website membership

Advance ticket access is available to Nica’s Circle (BJP Website) Members for the first 48 hours after a ticketed concert is posted on the website.

Members are sent a concert announcement newsletter by email when new concerts with advance tickets have been posted on the website.

You need to have an active membership on the BJP website to get access to the Get Advance Tickets button AND the Advance Ticket Unlock Code you’ll need in order to buy tickets.

Logging in to the website

To log into the website, please click or tap here.

The log in button can always be found at the top of any page under the “Membership” tab, or at the very bottom of any page (look for the big red button that says “Member Log In”).

Resetting your password

If you have forgotten your password, please click or tap here to reset it and get a new one.

Reactivating your account

If you have a membership account on the BJP website but your membership is inactive or expired, you won’t be able to see the Get Advance Tickets button or the Unlock Code when viewing a concert.

To reactive your membership, first log into the website and then click or tap this link to resume or reactive your subscription.

Once your membership is re-activated, you will find the Get Tickets button and the Ticket Unlock Code on the individual concert event pages on the BJP website.

Administering your account

You can always access your Membership account and look at information like your subscription and past payment info by viewing the Account page here.

Updating your payment info (adding or changing your credit card).

Log into the site and go to your Account page and click or tap "Subscriptions". Then, find "Update" (above "Pause" and "Cancel"). Click or tap "Update", and on the next screen you will be able to enter your new credit card information.

Viewing upcoming events

To view all upcoming concerts, go to the Event page: https://buckingjampalace.com/events/ or the Home page: https://buckingjampalace.com/

A 2021 year end update from Lisa Buck

2021 seems determined to close out with a much uncertainty as it began. In the midst of that, I want to send out good wishes to all for a happy and healthy New Year. Despite the ongoing stress of difficult times, I feel immensely grateful to be part of a community of incredible folk who understand the soul-stirring power of the Arts and work to protect and celebrate our culture and its dedicated creators.

We are rescheduling all our events at BJP for the month of January. While this is immensely disappointing, I am encouraged that the three concerts we were able to schedule in November and December were sold-out, were attended with great enthusiasm and were held without incident. Reducing capacity, participating in the restriction exemption program and adding non-touch protocols have added to everyone’s comfort level.

We have exciting projects in the works. Our Toones project—a film collaboration with the Quickdraw Animation Society—is perking along nicely. All music compositions have been handed over to animators and it’s going to be exciting to see the spectrum of “visual music” that comes to life. Toones is funded by a grant from Calgary Arts Development: the grant has allowed BJP to invest $25,000 into the Calgary Arts community at a crucial time when artists need support.

Plans for shooting the Change the Tune project—a music video and documentary about the challenges faced by female jazz instrumentalists—are still moving ahead. Pandemic permitting, we will be shooting at the Warehouse studio in Vancouver the week of February 11^th with seven of Canada’s top jazz musicians. This project is funded by the Canada Council and, again, grant money is allowing us to employ artists and make art even in these difficult times.

I am part of the current cohort in the Rozsa Foundation’s Arts Management Program, offered in partnership with the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business. The training is excellent. I am working on a capstone project for the course that is focused on outfitting BJP with the equipment and technical support to record live-off-the-floor. I lend our space and backline often for rehearsals and recordings so this is a natural next-step: the acoustics are ideal for recording so kudos to the architect who made that possible 110 years ago!

Our next scheduled concerts are February 24^th and 25^th with a quintet of absolutely top-notch musicians: Jodi Proznick, Amanda Tosoff, Laura Anglade, Virginia MacDonald and Sanah Kadoura. Pencil it into your calendars for now: tickets on sale in the new year.

A final note of gratitude as a proud Calgarian and Canadian. Funding agencies in this country have worked overtime to mitigate the damage to the Arts sector. Canada supports its artists far better than our neighbour to the south and BuckingJam Palace has been able to continue to work for musicians because of this support and the generosity of individual patrons who have donated to our programming.

Wishing peace and joy to you and yours and looking ahead to healthy times filled with music 2022!

Lisa