HGO Spotlight On: Philanthropy Writer Olivia Lerwick
Olivia Lerwick is extremely curious. Whether she is traveling, hiking, cooking up a healthy meal, or reading a book, she is constantly exploring. She loves to learn new things, and that is her secret to success as HGO’s Philanthropy Writer.
Olivia grew up in Midland, Texas and later attended Interlochen Arts Academy, a performing arts boarding school in Michigan, before studying voice in college. “My mom always joked that the only school in Texas I could go to is Rice,” says Olivia. “And I got in!”
She went on to pursue her master's in music at University of Colorado Boulder before taking an apprenticeship with The Glimmerglass Festival that opened a world of new possibilities for a career in the arts. She found her way to HGO and after two-and-a-half years, she is still learning something new.
Here’s Olivia on her life and career, in her own words:
I love music. I went to Interlochen Arts Academy in Northwest Michigan for their voice program. It's one of these places that a lot of people have gone— Josh Groban went there. It’s a neat place.
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I went to Rice for undergrad, and I learned a lot about HGO because Stephen King, the Director of Vocal Instruction with the Butler Studio, was there. I didn't study with him, but there's a very strong connection between Rice and HGO. I performed in the Rice Chorale my freshmen year when Richard Bado was still teaching there. I've always known that HGO is a great company. |
Olivia Lerwick with her voice teacher at Rice University. |
After I did my master’s, I realized I didn't want to pursue performing. So, I started to find some summer festivals that I had heard about as a singer, and in 2022 I ended up as an apprentice at The Glimmerglass Festival. I did some communications, background research, and worked on the supertitles. I met a colleague who worked at HGO and connected me to the team. I applied to be a Philanthropy Officer and got the job!
After a few months as a Philanthropy Officer, I realized that my introverted self was like, I can't sustain this pace. They ended up expanding the Institutional Giving team and needed a Philanthropy Writer. After that, I switched over to the role I have now.
My job encompasses a lot of different things. Mostly, I'm working on grants and narrative proposal writing, whether for a government agency like the National Endowment for the Arts or an individual donor. I also put together information about our mainstage productions for our donors.
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When it comes to writing a grant, the strategic part is knowing our audience. We work with Philanthropy Officers and donors to figure out what exactly they want to support, and whether our mission aligns. You’ve got to say it clearly and succinctly while keeping HGO’s mission at the forefront. You also need to understand Houston as a city. We exist in an ecosystem, right? What's going on in the city that other people might be reacting to or supporting right now? |
Lerwick with HGO Associate Director of Marketing Jessica Gonzalez at Opening Night Dinner for Porgy and Bess. |
I learned about grant writing when I took an arts administration class in graduate school. We wrote a mock proposal, and that's how I understood this type of writing is more than telling a story. A lot of my job is making sure people feel that if they're giving us money, their money is going where it's supposed to be going—bringing grand opera to Houston, supporting students and families, making an economic impact, increasing tourism. Always, it’s about inspiring people.
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Lerwick and her friend Jenette in front of Mt. Fuji in Japan! |
I think curiosity is important in my role because it helps me be much more open-minded. I love to go by people's offices and start a conversation about what they are working on, or I'm like, what are you reading right now? There's always something great you end up talking about. I think being curious about other people's jobs and roles helps you understand the full picture of this organization.
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I have loved a lot of productions HGO has done. Breaking the Waves was incredible in so many ways, and so was Il trittico. Corinne Winters is incredible, and I loved seeing some of the artists take on three different roles. The orchestra was amazing and the set was super fun. The chorus with Richard Bado is one of the best in the world. When I think of HGO as an artist, I'm consistently like, holy cow.
It’s incredible who you get to talk to and meet working at HGO, especially as a singer. There’s Jamie Barton in the lunchroom, and I am chatting with Jamie Barton. It's like chatting with Steph Curry or something. You're like, how am I here doing this? Other times I'll walk out into the auditorium and just sit in one of the seats and watch people put the set together. It is so cool that I get to be a part of something that I have loved for such a long time.