We were lucky to catch up with Linda Brumbach recently and have shared our conversation below.

Linda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

The answer is YES. I never thought or dreamed of being a business owner in my college years as a music major at Indiana School of Music. Coming to New York in 1985 and having the opportunity to work along side of so many artists experimenting in all genres was a lighting bolt and inspiration so I wandered into as many different spaces as possible – exploring that landscape for about 15 years before deciding to start my own company with my long time producing partner Alisa Regas in 1998. We were completely guided by the impulses, vision and ambitions of the artists who were creating narratives of the world we wanted to live in. Because of our experience being on the “road” with a range of so many artists over the years, we had a lens into a broad range of how new work was made and became sustainable over time, as well as building up our international network of colleagues who ran cultural institutions and festivals as collaborators and risk takers. Our trust in each other and our gut instinct to believe what moves us, allowed us as a female lead company to create our own “industry standard” of values in partnership with artists and cultural institutions to build new work outside of the traditional formats. By owning the business, we have the ability to be nimble and work within the unique methodology of each artist which is a complete necessity as our work often marks a turning point in an artists career, involving considerable risk and rapidly evolving terrains. I do think about what it would be like for have a “regular job”….whatever that means these days. I like to ebb and flow with a team of dreamers and makers allowing to expand and partner in a range of different spaces. For decades, our bloodline at Pomegranate Arts has been producing and touring international live performances, but over the last few years, it’s been extremely inspiring to start to explore immersive theatrical experiences, visual art work, film, book publishing and areas of connection to the artistic narrative. Because we are a small run business working in close partnership with artists, we continue to evolve and have the immediate flexibility to do so.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Pomegranate Arts specializes in producing artist-driven and internationally acclaimed touring projects built in close creative and financial partnership with the projects lead artist. Our productions often represent an artist’s boldest endeavor, ambitious in scale or complex in structure. We build coalitions between artists and art presenters from the ground up to allow each artist to bring their vision to life and to sustain the community built around a project over time. The works we produce often marks a turning point in an artists, career, propelling them to a new level of economic stability and international reach – or launching them into a new section. This is indeed a vulnerable moment in an artist’s career, involving considerable risk so we infuse our practice with creative strategy, a depth of knowledge gained from long-term industry experience and hands-on comprehensive care. Some of the works we have produce include the Olivier award winning production of Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach, Lucinda Childs, Dance and Available Light, Robin Frohardt’s The Plastic Bag Store, Laurie Anderson and the Kronos Quartet’s Landfall, Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music and many more.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Alisa Regas is my long time producing partner, a force of nature and one of the most talented people in the field. She moved to New York in 1994 to work for a production company called International Production Associates (IPA) led by Jed Wheeler, where I got my start in the field. At IPA, we produced and toured the work of Philip Glass, Spalding Gray, Diamanda Galas, Karin Finley, Eric Bogosian, Twyla Tharp, Elizabeth Streb, Lisa Kron, Roger Guinevere Smith, Richard Foreman and many more, which was the foundation for forming our own company. Alisa was coming from Chicago at the time and New York apartments were often found via the Village Voice. I had offered my assistance in helping her find a place to live, but she was coming with her beloved mother Helen Regas and informed me that she would send her address once settled. Upon arrival, she sent her new address of 134 East 22nd, apt. #408. She had no idea where I lived in this vast city. I was the same address in apt #410. We shared a living room wall for 5 years. random. destiny. hard to say – but one of the greatest gifts in this wild and crazy journey.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

It took us ten (10) years, several stops, starts and cancellations to remount the iconic collaboration of Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach – a durational opera clocking in around 5 hours and 45 minutes. It was our most challenging and risk taking producing work to date. We were eager to identify and champion our next project, which was around the time we met Taylor Mac and he shared his vision to create a 24-hour long duration work which was inspiring and terrifying at the same time. Our last experience had required precision and repetition, but Taylor’s process for creating the work was out of our comfort zone……having to absorb and appreciate the process and chaos among a community of over 200 over changing local artists joining and expanding our core company and creative team through years of development and touring. Through workshops, experimentation, touring and deep partnerships in the performing arts community, Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music remains one of most inspiring productions that launched into our field – with all odds against us. Taylor’s ideals of unearthing buried truths in America and building community through his art, can now be experience as a documentary film currently streaming on HOB/MAX. Having the opportunity for his narrative to exist and be shared with such an expansive audience has been deeply meaningful. We often feel that the artists we work with have the ability to bridge so many gaps in our country and extended international communities but rarely have the opportunity on these platforms. We dream of building more of these partnerships as we go forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: pomegranate arts.com
• Instagram: @pomegranatearts
• Facebook: pomegranate arts

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