Learn how Orchestra Iowa turned misfortune into a catalyst to transform from a struggling orchestra to a thriving arts enterprise.

Six years ago, the then Cedar Rapids Symphony was struggling to balance a $1.5 million budget and maintain artistic standards at a time when ticket sales were declining, donations flat-lining, endowments plummeting and morale sinking. When it couldn’t get any worse, the Midwest floods of 2008 destroyed its venue, instruments, equipment and infrastructure.

"I don't want you to think of this as a flood recovery story, because while we were forced to reexamine our business models and develop new strategies, we were going to have to do that anyway. Our business, as we knew it, had stopped working, and we were failing fast... I hope our story will encourage you not to wait for the extreme to orchestrate your own innovation."

Forced to rethink what it meant to be a symphony, the organization, now rebranded as Orchestra Iowa, not only survived but through creating exceptional art, enhancing its engagement with audiences and implementing innovative business models, has transformed into a vibrant $5 million arts enterprise. Click the play button above to watch the talk.

First Friday Jazz Series at the Opus Concert Cafe