SAMPLE LETTER OR E-MAIL TO COMMUNITY GROUPS
(NOTE: In mailings to the media and community groups, attach announcements and flyers about host site programs related to the exhibition. Letters to the media should also include press kits, offer assistance in developing stories, and include a host site contact.)
(DATE)
Dear: (NAME):
The (NAME OF HOST SITE) is pleased to announce the opening on (DATE) of “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs,” a colorful new exhibit celebrating the many Jewish composers of the ”American Songbook, “ such as Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and their great contributions to American popular culture during the period 1910-1965. (NAME OF HOST SITE) is one of 55 sites throughout the United States selected for the exhibit tour.
Using images from Broadway musicals, classic films, and personal collections, “A Fine Romance” tells the story of Jewish artists who created songs of wit, sophistication and optimism through America’s ups and downs during the 20th century. The best songwriters combined a genius for melody, a talent for pairing it with the perfect words, and an ability to connect with a wide audience. A high percentage of them were Jewish, from families that had immigrated to America in the 1800s or fled pogroms and persecutionin Europe at the turn of the century. Their witty and romantic songs—“Body and Soul,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Thou Swell,” “That Old Black Magic,” “It Had to Be You”—became beloved classics that remain enduring elements of American popular culture.
"A Fine Romance” was developed by Nextbook, Inc., a nonprofit organizationdedicated to supporting Jewish literature, culture, and ideas, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. The national tour of the exhibit has been made possible by the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Righteous Persons Foundation, the David Berg Foundation, an anonymous donor, and Tablet: A New Read on Jewish Life. A Fine Romance is also a book by David Lehman, published by Nextbook/Schocken.
We would like to invite you to see the exhibit on (DAY, DATE) at (TIME). (NAME) will be the guest speaker (OR INCLUDE OTHER PROGRAM INFORMATION). A news release included with this correspondence provides additional details. Please contact me at (TELEPHONE, E-MAIL) if you have questions. The (NAME OF HOST SITE) has planned a number of other programs and events during the exhibit display period . The exhibit will remain on display through (DATE).
We hope you can join us as we introduce this exciting exhibit to our community.
Sincerely yours,