The Big Day of Gratitude!

Presenting a letter from Skye Bergen, our Big DoG Team Captain, Board Treasurer, Succulent Siren, and all-around amazing human being:

To All Citywater Big Day of Giving Donors:

Wow. You really showed up and made a difference this year! I am completely overwhelmed by how amazing you all are.

If we haven’t met yet, let me introduce myself. My name is Skye Bergen. I am an artist, owner of Succulent Sirens, cello student, and state worker. I started on my path of learning the cello 10 years ago when Tim Stanley compassionately took me on as an adult student. The only musical knowledge I had was from being a drummer in a punk band, and he still agreed! Little did I know that I would become a Citywater board member a few years later, and recently step into the role of Citywater’s Board Treasurer. This year I was honored to be the Citywater Team Captain for the Big Day of Giving.

To those of you who have supported Citywater year after year...from the bottom of our cello we thank you. Citywater is approaching its ten year anniversary soon and we would not have made it this far if it weren’t for your incredibly generous support.

To those donors who gave to Citywater for the first time this year… thank you so much. And welcome! Your names will be forever written in our history books as Citywater supporters.

As some of you may have heard, the City of Sacramento is considering slashing its annual budget for the arts. Citywater has received art grants via the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission several times, and that funding came directly from the city budget. If the city does in fact slash the arts budget for the coming fiscal year, then we will rely solely upon funding from our donors for our 2019/2020 season. So we are extra extra grateful to you all this year in particular, in case the city does in fact slash the budget for the arts. (If you have an opinion concerning the city budget please contact your city council member.)

Part of Citywater’s Mission Statement says that classical music is often perceived as elitist, out of date, and isn’t for everyone. I was one of those people who thought classical music was elitist. As an artist I tend to gravitate towards art that makes me think differently about the world, society, or my own beliefs. Citywater changed my whole perception of classical music, and continually opens my ears to a whole new genre of music. I am honored to be a board member for a unique ensemble with an exciting and challenging mission.

Don’t forget to come to the performance on May 17. Let us thank you in person. Meet the ensemble, meet the board members, meet other audience members who also like modern classical music. Hear music that has never been performed before. When we say “new”, we mean it.

Thank you,

Skye Bergen
Citywater Board Treasurer and Social Media Maven