Ambassadors for the Arts
Theoroi (pronounced thee-uh-roy), a project of Schubert Club, aims to cultivate the next generation of Twin Cities arts audiences by engaging a select group of arts ambassadors in a curated season of diverse arts performances and sparking curiosity about the arts through the use of social media.
Members of this group (all in their 20s and 30s) attend a “sampler package” of performing arts events across the Twin Cities to get a wide variety of cultural experiences. Members attend each arts event as a group, sharing their collective experience and building friendships. The group then uses social media to share their experiences with their own social network. Opportunities for additional enrichment, such as conversations with artists or backstage tours, are arranged for the group before or after many events. Additionally, several social activities are coordinated throughout the season to help the group form lasting friendships.
Each season varies, but there is always a mix of classical music, theater, dance, and jazz or world music. The arts organizations included in current and past seasons include VocalEssence, Minnesota Opera, Schubert Club, Walker Art Center, Dakota Jazz Club, Jungle Theater, Mixed Blood, Ordway, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, James Sewell Ballet, Mu Performing Arts, Dark & Stormy Productions, Park Square Theatre, Icehouse MPLS, Ragamala Dance Company, Cowles Center, Schubert Club Mix, Minnesota Orchestra, and Theater Latté Da, among many others.
Much like the Theoroi of Ancient Greece, whose job it was to journey to festivals as ambassadors and announce and invite others to these celebrations, the members of Schubert Club’s Theoroi act as ambassadors of the arts by spreading the word about their cultural experiences through interactive social media outlets of their choice, such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc.
More About Theoroi
Watch the TPT MN Original’s Segment about Theoroi!