Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBPW-04-01-15-04 Young Voices InspireRESOLUTION NO. BPW- 04- 01 -15 -04 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CARMEL BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS AND SAFETY ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF CONTRACT WHEREAS, pursuant to Indiana Code 36- 1 -4 -7, the City of Carmel, Indiana ("City"), is authorized to enter into contracts; and WHEREAS. pursuant to Indiana Code 36- 4 -5 -3, the City's mayor may enter into contracts on behalf of the City; and WHEREAS, pursuant to his authority under Indiana law, the City's mayor, the Honorable James C. Brainard, has caused to be signed the City contract attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Contract "); and WHEREAS, Mayor Brainard now wishes to present the contract to the City's Board of Public Works and Safety for it to be publicly acknowledged, filed in the Clerk- Treasurer's Office, and made available to the public for review. follows: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City of Carmel Board of Public Works and Safety as 1. The foregoing Recitals are incorporated herein by this reference. 2. The receipt of the Contract is hereby acknowledged. 3. The Contract shall be promptly filed in the office of the Clerk- Treasurer and thereafter made available to the public for review. SO RESOLVED this �sr day of Ap r c L- , 2015. CITY OF CARMEL, INDIANA By and through its Board of Public Works and Safety es Brainard, Presiding Offices; ate: Mary An C urke, M mber Date: 4 i Lori S. Watson, em er J _ Date: `I" t I l ATTEST: i4-Dt/Liu YYL DYana Cordray, IMCA, Clei-K- Treasurer Date: 1 -1-15 S: \E Bass\My Documents \BPW- Resolutions\2015 \POUND VOICES INSPIRE CORP Acknowledge Arts Grant Program Agreement - 2015.docx3123/201512.32 PM ARTS GRANT PROGRAM AGREEMENT This Grant Agreement (herein referred to as "Agreement ") entered into by and between the City of Carmel (the "City") and \I ��M �„ C(,p• o'- "Grantee"), is executed pursuant t the teals and conditions set forth herein. In consideration of those mutual undertakings and covenants, the parties agree as follows: 1. That on behalf of Grantee, a not - for - profit corporation, I, an authorized representative of Grantee, have applied for City of Carmel ( "Grantor ") Arts Grant, said application attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit "A." 2. Grant Agreement. The City, after review and recommendation by the Mayor and by the City Council, agrees to grant $ 2 , 7 5 0 . 0 0 to the Grantee for the eligible costs of the project (the "Project ") or services as described in Exhibits "A" and `B" of this Agreement. The funds shall be used exclusively in accordance with the provisions contained in this Agreement. 3. Design and Implementation of Project. The Grantee agrees to use any and all grant funds in accordance with the proposal contained within this agreement and any documents attached to this Agreement, which are incorporated by reference. 4. Warranty of non - profit status. Grantee hereby represents and warrants that it is a not - for - profit entity with a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring that it is exempt from Federal income tax. 5. Payment of Grant Funds by the City. The payment of this Grant by the City to the Grantee shall be made in accordance with the following conditions: A. This Agreement must be fully executed and signed by both Grantee and Grantor. B. Grantee has attached all the following information, which it represents and warrants to be true and accurate, all which have been incorporated fully by reference: 1. An application and description of the proposed use of the grant funds (EXHIBIT A); 2. A budget for the calendar or fiscal year for which the grant is requested (EXHIBIT B); 3. Certified copies of incorporation as a not - for -profit corporation under state law (EXHIBIT C); 4. A not - for - profit application or determination letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service identifying that it is a not - for - profit corporation that is exempt from Federal income tax (EXHIBIT D); 5. Any audits, reviews or compilations available describing the financial condition of the Grantee, including most recent available IRS Form 990, and the attached Affidavit (EXHIBIT E); 6. A list of the Grantee's board of directors and officers listed (EXHIBIT F); 7. A Year End Report from the previous year IF Grantee received an Arts Grant from the City of Carmel in the previous calendar year, pursuant to paragraph 7 herein (EXHIBIT G). C. Any other grant conditions that City requires to be met by Grantee, specifically: 6. Grantor's right to request audit or review. Grantee shall submit to an audit or review by an independent Certified Public Accountant of funds at the City's request, and shall make all books, accounting records and other documents available at all reasonable times during the term of this Grant Agreement, and for a period of three (3) years after final payment of funds under this Agreement, for the purpose of an audit by the City of Carmel, the State of Indiana, or their designees. 7. Year end review. Grantee agrees to provide the City of Carmel a year -end report ( "Year End Report") for each year, describing how the grant was used and the impact of the dollars received. This Grant award may not exceed one third (1/3) of Grantee's combined contributed income, revenue of sales, and/or ticket revenue from the 2 previous year. If the Grant amount is in excess of sixty thousand dollars ($60,000.00), the Grantee agrees to provide, at Grantee's cost, a review or audit of the grantee. Said review or audit shall be performed by a Certified Public Accountant ( "CPA ") who is neither an employee of Grantee nor a member of the Grantee's Board of Directors, to be provided to the City of Carmel by March 31 of the following year. 8. Funding Credit. Grantee agrees to credit the City of Carmel in the printed materials associated with a funded program or project. The City of Carmel will supply, upon request, Grantee with the graphics /logos necessary for compliance. 9. Statutory Authority of Grantee. The Grantee expressly represents and warrants to the State that it is statutorily eligible to receive these monies and it expressly agrees to repay all monies paid to it under this Grant, should a legal determination of its ineligibility be made by any Court of competent jurisdiction. 10. Use of Grant Funds by Grantee. The funds received by the Grantee pursuant to this Agreement shall be used only to implement the Project or provide the services in conformance with the Budget and for no other purpose. If it is determined by the City that misappropriation of funds have occurred, the Grantee must return all funds received by Grantor and individuals who misuse Grant funds may also be subject to civil and/or criminal liability under Indiana or Federal law. 11. Employment Eligibility Verification. The Grantee affirms under the penalties of perjury that he /she /it does not knowingly employ an unauthorized alien. The Grantee affirms under the penalties of perjury that he /she /it has enrolled and is participating in the E -Verify program as defined in IC 22- 5 -1.7. The Grantee agrees to provide documentation to the City that he /she /it has enrolled and is participating in the E- Verify program. The City may terminate for default if the Grantee fails to cure a breach of this provision no later than thirty (30) days after being notified by the State. 12. Governing Law; Lawsuits. This Agreement is to be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Indiana, except for its conflict of laws provisions. The parties agree that, in the event a lawsuit is filed hereunder, they waive their right to a jury trial, agree to file any such lawsuit in an appropriate court in Hamilton County, Indiana only, and agree that such court is the appropriate venue for and has jurisdiction over same. 13. Relationship of Parties. The relationship of the parties hereto shall be as provided for in this Agreement, and neither Grantee nor any of its compensated officers, employees, contractors, subcontractors and/or agents are employees of City. The 3 Grant amount set forth herein shall be the full and maximum compensation and monies required of City to be paid to Grantee under or pursuant to his Agreement. 14. Severability. If any term of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any statute, regulation, ordinance, executive order or other rule of law, such term shall be deemed reformed or deleted, but only to the extent necessary to comply with same, and the remaining provision of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. 15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with any exhibits attached hereto or referenced herein, constitutes the entire agreement between Grantee and City with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior oral or written representations and agreements regarding same. Notwithstanding any other term or condition set forth herein, but subject to paragraph 15 hereof, to the extent any term or condition contained in any exhibit attached to this Agreement or in any document referenced herein conflicts with any term or condition contained in this Agreement, the term or condition contained in this Agreement shall govern and prevail. This Agreement may only be modified by written amendment executed by both parties hereto, or their successors in interest. IN WITNESS WHEROF, the parties hereto have made and executed this Agreement as follows: � OWN t 1 ("Grantee"CDYIto. zy By: ( 1,`-- Printed e of Officer: Date: \I N )\ .) \ S S ■ Q C ( itle: -D. u. kdo Np vwx- f:x CITY OF CARMEL ( "Grantopj By: '" +J Date: Date: 3/17/2015 James Brainard, Mayor 3/17/2015 If you have any question concerning the City of Cannel's 2015 Arts Grant Program, grant writing, guidelines or application materials, contact: Sharon Kibbe, City of Carmel, One Civic Square, Carmel, IN 46032, Phone: 317 -571 -2483, skibbe@carmel.in.gov. 4 Exhibit "A" An application and description of the proposed use of the grant funds Exhibit "A" An Application and Description of the Proposed Use of the Grant Funds APPLICANT: Name of organization: Address: !. h IC tat •'I Telephone: (A 61°11 , 5K/ill 2 Fax: (\ D• X312 Contact Person: p4l SDA (5(\\41.10 Email: (1.Q 01. Ito xi(,Q,, (1. (',OYYI APPLICATION AMOUNT: $ 13 Q O 0 Not to exceed 1/3 of previous year revenue/Income DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED USE OF THE GRANT FUNDS: O%azili2d By: ( Printed Ngfne of Officer: DL;v�PQ11pi1'} t1'' �1 Date: 1/144/1 i u del, t/ (Additional pages may be added to Exhibit "A ") Exhibit A Overview Young Voices Inspire Corporation DBA The Overture Institute requests $10,000 in support from the City of Carmel to fund equipment for its 2015 D.IV.A. summer camp'. The overall purpose of The Overture Institute is to provide opportunities for female musicians to gain professional experience and network with other female musicians. The D.I.V.A. (Discover. Inspire. Visualize. Affect) summer camp program serves our youngest audience (ages 10 -16) of female musicians by providing them a full week of music education, concerts by professional artists, and camaraderie with other young musicians. The goal of the summer camp is to expose young women to a wide range of musical opportunities and careers in a positive, supportive environment. From 2011 to 2013, D.I.V.A. campers used rental instruments during their time at the week -long summer camp. Borrowing and renting instruments from local stores served the camp well for its first three years, but was very costly and resulted in increased administrative work. In 2014, The Overture Institute successfully launched a campaign to purchase almost half of the instruments needed to conduct the camp; the remaining instruments were, again, rented and loaned to the organization for the weeklong camp. The organization has worked very hard to maintain outstanding relationships with its instrument vendors and has enjoyed their support for the last four years. However, our instrument vendors have limited supplies of "loaner" instruments, but they serve many organizations that need assistance. None of our instrument vendors can provide a complete inventory for the organization and therefore The Overture Institute must rely on multiple vendors, which requires the administrative office to ensure that the instruments go back to their correct vendor at the end of the week (a daunting task that takes time away from program offerings). In addition, some of the instruments had to be rented, which is a costly endeavor for a small nonprofit organization. In 2014, all of our instrument vendors combined could not provide enough loaner instruments for the camp, as we had more participants than previous years. This led the organization to begin raising money to purchase its own inventory of instruments. As its instrument inventory expands, The Overture Institute can rely less on outside vendors and focus its time on providing high quality opportunities for its participants. In 2015, The Overture Institute would like to complete its inventory of instruments so that it can be more self- sufficient. Another benefit to owning a complete inventory of instruments is that the organization could offer programs throughout the year, rather than just offering one summer camp per year. Currently, the organization is limited to offering one program each year because we cannot afford to rent the instruments that we do not own more than once each year. If we have a complete inventory of 1 From 2011 -2014, D.I.V.A. operated as Girls Create Music Summer Songwriting Camp. The camp was renamed in 2015 to reflect the new beginnings of the program. 1 Exhibit A instruments, however, we could offer programs throughout the year, which opens up possibilities of offering programs to new audiences, as well. The Overture Institute has the potential to impact significant change for women in the arts community by operating throughout the year. In order to do this, we need to focus our efforts on providing services, rather than collecting and managing loaner instruments. Funding In total, The Overture Institute will need $19,532 to complete and maintain its instrument inventory. This figure includes instruments, their necessary accessories (i.e. connection cables, stands, etc.), and a facility in which to store the equipment for 12 months. The project budget is shown below2: Item Number Needed Estimated Price Each Total Adapter 2 $11.00 $22.00 Bass Amplifier 9 $100.00 $900.00 Bass Guitar 9 $150.00 $1,350.00 Bass Guitar Case 11 $40.00 $440.00 Bass Guitar Stand 18 $20.00 $360.00 Bass Guitar Strings 16 $15.00 $240.00 Drum Kit 5 $220.00 $1,100.00 Drum Throne 14 $35.00 $490.00 Drum Sticks (pairs) 20 $2.00 $40.00 Guitar 10 $200.00 $2,000.00 Guitar Amplifier 10 $120.00 $1,200.00 Guitar Case 5 $40.00 $200.00 Guitar Picks 100 $1.00 $100.00 Guitar Straps 22 $15.00 $330.00 Guitar Strings 16 $15.00 $240.00 Hosa Splitter 4 $10.00 ,$40.00 Keyboard 18 $250.00 $4,500.00 Microphone 16 $100.00 $1,600.00 Music Stand 62 $25.00 $1,550.00 Storage Facility 1 $2,400.00 $2,400.00 Tuner 2 $15.00 $30.00 Vocal Amplifier 2 $200.00 $400.00 $19,532.00 A $10,000 donation from the City of Carmel would represent a little over half of the overall project budget. $3,000 in funding has already been secured from other sources. The music stores that have donated loaner instruments in the past have expressed interest in contributing funds to this campaign, as well. Once complete, the minimal cost of replacing broken and /or used inventory and the 2 The organization's yearly budget can be found in Exhibit B 2 Exhibit A cost of the storage facility will be transferred to the organization's general operating budget in 2016. Impact on Carmel Carmel residents comprised 52.5% of the campers who attended the 2014 installment of D.I.V.A. summer camp. 10% of the campers were from other cities and towns in Hamilton County and 12.5% of the campers were from counties contiguous to Hamilton. As a growing arts community, Carmel needs its young people to have positive experiences with arts programs, like D.I.V.A. summer camp. By providing these excellent experiences, The Overture Institute is influencing the younger generation to be more engaged in the arts as adults. Conclusion The Overture Institute has worked very hard over the last four years to perfect our program to be as fun and educational as possible. We have a very high camper return rate and our campers look forward to their unique experiences each summer. We're also proud to say that many of our "graduates" return to volunteer at the camp. Our faculty represents a diverse range of female musicians from Indiana and neighboring states. We have made and maintained excellent industry contacts, who travel from around the country to participate in and perform at the camp each year. Our faculty members and network contacts are passionate about inspiring young women and impacting a positive change on the way women are perceived in the music industry. Combined, these elements form a cohesive and unique organization, which can positively affect the lives of its campers and future generations of arts patrons. Contact Alyssa Rudner, Development Director 336 West Main Street Carmel, IN 46032 Cell- (317) 997.5462 Office- (317) 426.8543 www.Overturelnstitute.org 3 Exhibit `B" A budget for the calendar or fiscal year for which the grant is requested Exhibit B Young Voices Inspire, DBA The Overture Institute Revenue FY 2014 (Actual) FY 2015 (Estimated) Grants & Sponsorships $ 25,000.00 $ 36,000.00 Camp Tuition $ 16,055.00 $ 31,000.00 Ticket Sales $ 800.00 $ 6,000.00 Photos and Merchandise $ 1,200.00 $ 500.00 Scholarships $ 800.00 $ 2,250.00 Total $ 43,855.00 $ 75,750.00 Expenses FY 2014 (Actual) FY 2015 (Estimated) Salaries $ 7,500.00 $ 14,975.00 Lunch Concerts $ 500.00 $ - Marketing and Advertising $ 5,500.00 $ 5,500.00 Revenue Share with Venue $ 5,057.00 $ - Venue Rental $ - $ 34,693.00 Photography $ 600.00 $ 600.00 Supplies $ 350.00 $ 350.00 Equipment Rental & Purchase $ 18,000.00 $ 19,532.00 Total $ 37,507.00 $ 75,650.00 Exhibit "C" Certified copies of incorporation as anot- for - profit corporation under state law State of Indiana Office of the Secretary of State CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED BUSINESS NAME of YOUNG VOICES INSPIRE CORPORATION I, Connie Lawson, Secretary of State of Indiana, hereby certify that Certificate of Assumed Business Name of the above Non - Profit Domestic Corporation has been presented to me at my office, accompanied by the fees prescribed by law and that the documentation presented conforms to law as prescribed by the provisions of the Indiana Nonprofit Corporation Act of 1991. Following said transaction the entity named above will be doing business under the assumed business name(s) of: THE OVERTURE INSTITUTE NOW, THEREFORE, with this document I certify that said transaction will become effective Saturday, January 10, 2015. In Witness Whereof, I have caused to be affixed my signature and the seal of the State of Indiana, at the City of Indianapolis, January 12, 2015 CONNIE LAWSON, SECRETARY OF STATE Exhibit "D" IRS teteflTlination Letter INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE P. O. BOX 2508 CINCINNATI, 00 45201 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Employer identification Number: Date: SEP 2 4 2013 35-2445016 DLN: 17053217845022 MIDWEST SCHOOL OF VOICE CORPORATION Contact Person: 336 W MAIN ST =05A SPECK ID# 95044 CARMEL, IN 461732 Con:act Telephone Number: 377) 829-5500 Accounting Pe'Liod Ending: December 1 Pulic Charity Status: 170(3)(1)(A)vi) Form 990 Reouired: Yes Effective Date of Exemption: July 6, 2012 Contribution Deductibility: Yes Addendum Appiies: No Dear Applicant: We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined that ,,,xL) are exempt from Federal income tax under sectlicn 501(c) (3) of the Internal 1;:evenue Coe. Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive Lax deductible beouests, devises, transfefs or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the lode. Because this letter ca.ild holt resolve any questions regarding your exempt status, you should :Kee,,s' lc io your permanent records. Organizations exempt under section 501(c) 13) of the Code are further classified as either publio charities or private foundations. We determined that you are a public Char under the Code section (s listed in the heading of this letter. Please see enclosed Publication 4221-PC. _Tompliance Guide for 501(c) (3) Public Cha.rities, for some helpful informaLion c_;u: your -:es-ponsibilities as an exempt organization. Fnclosure: Pulication 4221-PC DLrector, Exempt Organizations Letter 947 (DO/CG) Note About Exhibit D Young Voices Inspire Corporation, DBA The Overture Institute originally filed for tax - exempt status as Midwest School of Voice Corporation. A name change was processed in 2014, but the original determination letter contains the original organization name. The screenshot below was obtained from the Internal Revenue Service's exempt organizations database and shows the updated name of the organization. IRS Exempt Organizations Select Check Exempt Organizations Select Check Home Organizations Eligible to Receive Tax - Deductible Charitable Contributions (Pub. 78 data) - Search Results The following list includes tax- exempt organizations that are eligible to receive tax- deductible charitable contributions. Click on the "Deductibility Status" column for an explanation of limitations on the deductibility of contributions made to different types of tax- exempt organizations. Results are sorted by EIN. To son results by another category, click on the icon next to the column heading for that category. Clicking on that icon a second time will reverse the sort order. Click on a column heading for an explanation of information in that column. 1 -1 of 1 results Results Per Page 25 : i i OK 1 a Prev 1 1 -1 'Next o EIN Legal Name (Doing Business As) City State Country Deductibility Status - 35- 2445016 Young Voices Inspire Corporation Carmel IN United States PC • a Prev 1 1 -1 1 Next v Exhibit "E" Any audits, reviews or compilations available describing the financial condition of the Grantee, including most recent available I S Form 990, and the Affidavit STATE OF INDIANA ) ) SS: COUNTY OF HAMILTON ) AFFIDAVIT I, A\IA of a) 9.X1 icS4Q , Cp(Q.-9)1\ `0 ` Grantee') g first duly sworn upon my oath, state that pursuant to paragraph 7 of the City of Carmel Arts Grant Program Agreement, all income of Grantee, including a City of Carmel arts grant, if applicable, revenue of sales, and/or ticket revenue, etc., in the Grantee's year ending in 2014 totaled $ y 3 X55 Sot ko\\NJI , an authorized representative igna e � 1 �-' ' / Printe:rName � I SS � U Subscribed and sworn to before me, the undersigned Notary Public, this 1 day of �dlhWdr ,205. Signature - Notary Public Printed Name.0(O! 1 J Resident of It\a„,„\x., County, Indiana My Commission Expires \`‘ \ R p� 018 Exhibit E Organization: MIDWEST SCHOOL OF VOICE EIN: 35-2445016 Submission Type: Fomi 990 -N Year: 2013 Submission ID: 7800582014115eg47915 e -File Postmark: 4/25/2014 5:39:37 PM Accepted Date: 4/25/2014 The IRS has accepted the e- Postcard described above. Please save this receipt for your records. Thank you for filing. e- Postcard technical support Phone: 866- 255 -0654 (toll free) email: ePostca rd @urban _ org MIDWEST SCHOOL OF VOICE 336 West Main Street Carmel, IN 46032 Note About Exhibit E Because the organization's annual receipts totaled less than $50,000, Young Voices Inspire Corporation (then operating as Midwest School of Voice Corporation) was not required to file Form -990 with the Internal Revenue Service. Instead, the organization was asked to file a 990 -N (e- Postcard). Confirmation of the e- Postcard filing is presented as Exhibit E. xhibit "F" A list of the Grantee's board of directors and officers Exhibit F Board of Directors Bruce Dean, Ingredients Design Patricia Neeb, HRC Creative Nicole O'Neal, The Warehouse Non - Voting Members Heather Ramsey Clark, The Overture Institute Alyssa Rudner, The Overture Institute Exhibit "G" Year End Report from the previous year if Grantee received an Arts Grant from the City of Carmel in the previous calendar year, pursuant to paragraph 7 of Agreement Exhibit G 2014 City of Carmel Arts Grant Year End Review YOUNG N/Cl_CES INSPIRE Scope and Impact of the Project The City of Carmel provided $2785 to Young Voices Inspire for the purpose of funding the organization's sound requirements during the 2014 season. As the season closes, Young Voices Inspire would like to thank the City of Carmel for funding the sound equipment at three of its six performances this season. The 2014 season included ten member artists (ages 10 -16) from Hamilton and the contiguous counties, all of who have professional music aspirations. The performances provided the artists with opportunities to receive hands -on experience working in live music, strengthen their stage presence, and give back to their communities. Like any new arts organization, YVI experienced great successes with some challenges. Most importantly, however, the 2014 season performances provided YVI an opportunity to examine its strengths and weaknesses. 2014 was a year of introspection and the organization's findings have paved the road for YVI to simplify and focus its services in 2015. Successes Young Voices Inspire's goal has always been to offer pre - professional performance opportunities to young vocalists. The organization is proud to announce that half of the 2014 performances took place at venues that had never featured the group. Performing at new venues challenged the members to professionally adapt to new situations. On June 29, the group was scheduled to perform at the Fishers Freedom Festival. The few YVI members who reside in Fishers were especially excited about this performance and invited many of their friends to the performance. Despite the group being well rehearsed and energized, the show fell on a very rainy day, which put a damper on the festival activities. The stage area was covered with a large tent, but part of the stage, including the electrical box, was not covered. The YVI performers rallied to reposition the tent so it covered the electrical box and kept rain from falling onto the stage. In addition, many of the performers' invitees did not attend the show due to the rain. Instead, the performers filled the tent with festival attendees, persuading them that they could enjoy the show, while waiting for the rain to pass. By the end of the performance, the entire show tent was full, performers were asked for photos and autographs, and the audience asked for information about future YVI performances. Exhibit G YJUU \ G VO UL !NSPIRE YVI strives to teach its members how to react professionally to lapses in show plans, especially at new venues. The organization has taught the performers to have their stage act perfected so that in the event of a show lapse, such as rain falling on the stage, they can focus on fixing the problem at hand, rather than worrying about the stage performance. Their incredible show at the Fishers Freedom Festival earned the group invitations to perform at new locations. Adapting to new venues and handling show lapses professionally are essential skills for any aspiring musician and YVI is proud to have taught these skills during the 2014 season. Challenges The biggest challenge facing YVI for the 2014 season was the Toss of its Vocal Director. In July, the Vocal Director gave notice that she would be transitioning to a position with a new organization. Luckily, YVI's Artistic Director has prior experience as a Vocal Director and was able to fill the position in the interim. This presented challenges with the group dynamic, specifically the members had to learn to respond to a new rehearsal style while maintaining the quality of the performance. However, just as the members learned to adapt to new venues, they adapted to the new vocal direction professionally. Again, YVI is proud to offer these experiences, which force the group's young members (all of who have professional aspirations) to act as professional musicians. The Future of YVI Beginning in 2015, Young Voices Inspire (renamed The Overture Institute) will focus on offering short-term (1 -2 week) opportunities for young, female artists. This is a sharp contrast to the long -term opportunities that have been offered to both male and female vocalists in past seasons. The organization will expand its offerings to include instrumentation, and songwriting in addition to vocal work. In the long -term, the organization will, also, offer learning and networking opportunities for adult, female musicians. Based on the experiences of 2014, Young Voices Inspire believes that it can be more beneficial to members by offering short-term opportunities that focus on building a sturdy community of female musicians.