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Haiku Milieu is Unique To Our Creative Community

It takes courage for our Haiku Milieu artists to step onstage and share a brand-new song, especially backed by a world-class band. But that’s only the surface.

Behind that moment is a lifetime of work: booking gigs, navigating an industry where “indifference” is often the kindest description, writing songs that can make a room ache or soar, and juggling the endless roles: publicist, manager, promoter, just to keep a roof over your head between shows.

And after all that, there’s often almost no room left to grow. An unintended consequence of success is that audiences want their beloved familiar hits. New songs, the very lifeblood of an artist’s evolution, can get squeezed out.

There are spaces for students and early career artists to find their footing with open mics, jams, and song circles.

But for seasoned artists? Opportunities to stretch, to risk, to debut something new are surprisingly scarce.

That’s the where Haiku Milieu Concerts come in. 

You witness some of the hardest-working, most masterful songwriters alive: not in retrospect, not after the polish, but in the very act of creation. In that fleeting, electric moment when a new song is shared, when spirit and matter collide and something entirely new enters the world...that is the essence of Haiku Milieu concerts.

We bring as many of these artists into the room as we can, because those raw, unrepeatable, alive moments are the reason Haiku Milieu Concerts exist. 

Haiku Milieu Concerts

Each concert commissions more than 20 brand-new songs from the region’s most dedicated, masterful songwriters. 

Every artist is paid. 

Musicians are brought together in true collaboration to create and present songs that would never have existed otherwise, in the earliest stages of performance, as they will never exist in quite the same way again. 

The direct costs for each Haiku Milieu concert are about $3,650. 

That investment lets me:

• pay each songwriter
• pay band members for rehearsal and performance
• pay a graphic designer and for PR to reach our audiences and potential audiences
• pay to professionally document the work so the art can live beyond a single evening. 

Ticket sales cover only about 25% of these costs. 

And now for the really reallys….

The true cost of a Haiku Milieu concert is more like $10,000.

Each event requires around 100 hours of dedicated work. Even when valued modestly, that time represents my significant personal investment and only begins to reflect the full scope of labor involved, including:

• Curating concert theme and artistic vision
• Researching and selecting participating songwriters
• Conducting outreach and communicating with artists
• Coordinating schedules and confirming participation
• Securing and coordinating with venues
• Listening to song drafts and providing feedback
• Reviewing and confirming final compositions and charts
• Planning and coordinating rehearsals
• Managing event logistics and timelines
• Writing and distributing press releases
• Reaching out to media outlets for coverage
• Gathering and organizing supplies and equipment
• Overseeing production (sound, staging, flow)
• Following up with artists, partners, and media
• Capturing photo and video content
• Editing and producing video
• Creating and scheduling social media content
• Posting and engaging with audiences online
• Executing event day coordination
• Conducting post-event wrap-up and evaluation

Up to now, with the deeply-appreciated help of a few in-kind contributors (looking at you, Robin Bienemann, Tom Ryan, Cathie Van Wert and Jon Williams!) I have personally covered the direct costs as well as the indirect costs, because I believe deeply in this creative community, and in the power of paying artists for their work. 

Spoiler alert: it makes the music better! When artists can focus on creativity, the music, the collaboration, and the magic on stage grows richer for everyone.

If Haiku Milieu has moved you, surprised you, or introduced you to new artists, become a Friend of Haiku Milieu!

Gifts in All Amounts Make A Difference (and encourage me!)

The first thing you should know: Gifts in all amounts make a difference. 

The second thing you should know: Gifts are tax-deductible. Haiku Milieu accepts charitable contributions through fiscal sponsorship with Fractured Atlas. Donations tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Here’s what your gift does:

• Friends: Gifts in any amount helps keep the music and collaboration alive.
• Patrons: $100 supports introducing artists and audiences to the Haiku Milieu universe.
• Guardians: $250 allows for a program book, temporary tattoos, unique show elements and more, sparking unforgettable memories.
• Torch Bearers: $500 helps cover the cost of videography, preserving each concert so the work can be experienced long after the performance. 
• Catalysts: $750 provides resources, space, and refreshments for rehearsals, creating a nurturing environment for artists to create. 
• Trailblazers: $1,000 supports songwriters directly, commissioning new original songs and giving artists the freedom to focus on creativity.
• Visionaries: $1,500 helps cover the costs of the band for rehearsal and performance, ensuring the music comes alive on stage.
• Luminaries: $2,500 or more ensures an extraordinary experience for every audience member, funding the full production and all the details that make each evening magical.

Here's what your gift gets you:

• Invitations to witness rehearsal 
• Recognition as a donor from the stage, the Haiku Milieu website, and in programs
• Complimentary program book, apparel, and Sunday Haiku Milieu email
• The pride of creating a one-of-a-kind concert comprised of exraordinary artists in your community!