‘Dayton Mosaic’ featuring many local arts groups moves to 2021
The Miriam Rosenthal Foundation’s “The Art of Us: Our Dayton Mosaic,” a major project intended to kick off Dayton’s 2020-2021 performingarts season, has been rescheduled for Sept. 18 and 19, 2021, at the Schuster Center because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Eight local arts organizations were to have participated in the event and performed together for the first time: Bach Society of Dayton, Dayton Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, Dayton Opera, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Human Race Theatre Company, and Muse Machine.
The various artistic directors and administrative leaders of the troupes had been working since early last summer on the program. However, with current uncertainty surrounding large gatherings in relation to COVID-19, the decision to postpone was unavoidable.
The project is fully funded by the foundation as a gift to the community and is also the largest gift ever made by the foundation.
The goal is to celebrate the “resilience, diversity and togetherness of the community and its people” consid- ering the difficulties faced in the Miami Valley by the lifealtering events of 2019 including the Memorial Day tornadoes and Oregon District mass shooting,as well as this year’s COVID-19 challenges. The project will also honor Miriam Rosenthal and the foundation that has supported the arts since its inception in 1965.
“The arts not only reflect life, but often provide the place where the community finds it commonness,” said Foundation Chairman Richard McCauley when the project was originally announced on Jan. 1, 2020. “We turn to the arts to inspire, to teach, and to celebrate who we are. It is our hope that as many people as possible will plan to attend one of these performances and discover again the treasure Dayton has in its arts.”
Miriam Rosenthal was one of Dayton’s most well-known promoters, working tirelessly to help grow institutions and their programs across the region. Hospitals, colleges and universities, health and human service organizations, religious institutions, and more have been touched by her advocacy. The purpose of the foundation is to serve the arts as a community endowment for their ongoing support.
Additional information about Miriam Rosenthal and the foundation may be found at miriamrosenthalfoundation.org.