PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Francine Garber-Cohen, President of Regina Opera Company
2:27:06
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127 sec
Francine Garber-Cohen, president of Regina Opera Company, testified about the importance of their cultural offerings in Southwest Brooklyn and requested increased support from the city's Small Business Services. She highlighted the role of arts organizations as small businesses that contribute to local economic growth.
- Regina Opera provides affordable opera performances and free concerts, particularly benefiting retirees and those on fixed incomes.
- The company participates in various cultural events that boost local businesses and increase neighborhood visibility.
- Garber-Cohen requested that SBS expand support for public realm grants and actively recruit more neighborhood-based cultural organizations.
Francine Garber-Cohen
2:27:06
I'm Francine Garber Cohen, president and producer of Regina Opera Company for 55 years Regina Opera has offered year round fully staged opera and ticket it and free concert in Southwest, Brooklyn.
2:27:22
And we do a lot of outdoor festivals.
2:27:25
Our performances of places where thousands of Brooklyn residents Many of them retirees are able to meet friends.
2:27:33
They get out of their houses where many of them live alone.
2:27:37
The company provides affordable entertainment for audiences who may not otherwise attend live opera performances.
2:27:45
Some are on fixed incomes, and some of them could not afford tickets for the Metropolitan Opera.
2:27:51
But in order to provide these services, Regina Opera, like other arts organizations, needs increased support from the city, We at Regina Opera acknowledge that small business services helps local, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge businesses to survive and grow.
2:28:09
And that the arts organizations, in these and other neighborhood arts organizations, are also small businesses, Regina Opera is just one of the small businesses that play a role in supporting local establishments.
2:28:24
The company participates in many cultural events hosted by the Sunset Park Business Improvement District, the Third Avenue Merchants Association of Bay Ridge, and the Bay Ridge Arts And Cultural Alliance.
2:28:40
These events bring new and existing customers to these neighborhoods increase the visibility and the income of the stores and restaurants that our audience members attend.
2:28:56
We are now requesting that the small business services expand support for the SBS public realm grants and actively recruit recruit more neighborhood based cultural organizations like Regina Aspire.
