Five Years Strong
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
SandBox welcomed its first guests on June 24, 2021 with my dear friend Mads Tolling presenting two sold out shows in one day! (of course with Covid restritions a sold out show was about 24 guests) Five years later SandBox has become a destination for exceptional artists who authentically engage with our community generously sharing their artistsry and themselves. The sum of the prizes won among them all, Grammy Award winners and nominees, poet laureates, etc. are too numerous to count at this point. And while those distinctions remain important, I measure the true value of SandBox by the unsolicited heartfelt and profound words so many of you have shared with me after experiencing an event here. A constant refrain from our performers is the feeling that each concert is met by an audience eager to embrace whatever we bring to the table with curiosity, enthusiasm, and open hearts. Thank you for being such a vital part of making each passing year of SandBox more memorable than the last.
Entering the industrial district of Sand City to experience these world class performers could possibly challenge one's expectations. However, that step so many of you have repeatedly taken helps explain why SandBox is more than just a venue. It has become home to the artistic experience itself. Hearing the hum of your voices lined outside the door in anticipation of the show, the smiles on your faces as you enter, the hugs, the hellos, all of this contributes to the magic of SandBox. Without you it would be nothing but an empty box.
This is also a time to celebrate five years of Musikiwest, the non profit that lives in SandBox. Our musicians have visited twenty-four middle and high school classrooms throughout Monterey County and engaged with more than two thousand students through free interactive programs centered on empathy, collaboration and conflict resolution. These visits use chamber music as a model for communication and positive collaboration while introducing students to world-class artists and the transformative power of live performance.
We encourage youth 18 and under to attend SandBox events with free admission. Throughout the year we present our signature Free Bach's Lunches where we invite you in for music, conversation and observation in an informal and welcoming atmosphere. This is all made possible through generous grants from The Arts Council for Monterey County, Pebble Beach Company Foundation, Yellow Brick Road and support from you through the annual MCGives campaign which last year raised a record of $76,000+!
It is humbling to see that the SandBox community of artists and audience alike come together in support of those in need. Our Music Heals program raised funding to support those enduring the conflcit in Ukraine. With 5 days notice we held a sold out event featuring violinist, Francisco Fullana where all the proceeds were given to the Pajaro flood victims. And most recently we all came together in support of a friend dear to many of us Edwin Huizinga on his road to recovery from serious health issues. The village that is SandBox is woven from the strongest fabric, defined by generosity, compassion, and a shared commitment to caring for one another.
Happy Fifth Anniversary to all of you who have joined me in building SandBox. I can hardly wait to share with you future porjects and events. Enjoy this past performance as a small gift/reminder of what happens in the box., the SandBox that is:)
I have so many phots to share but here are just a few for now. Hope to see you all very soon!
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