High Culture/Low Budget
To us, there’s something incredibly not right about music, art, theatre, and dance costing as much as it does. Artists are some of the poorest people out there! Do you think Van Gogh was tooling around with a $4,000 box at the opera? Mozart was so far in debt it became something of a joke, and yet you may have to choose between paying your rent and seeing a performance of Cosi fan Tutte. With arts organizations worldwide trying to get younger audiences, what exactly is the message here?
Fortunately, Europe (arguably the cradle of culture) has begun to get its act together. So while you still may have a relationship to the Euro or Pound something akin to being touched in an off-limits zone, you can still experience some of the most jaw-dropping forms of art without dropping a ton of cash. This blog gives tips from the insider’s perspective. You’ll find out where to go for the best deals on opera tickets, how to get into a museum for free, and how to do a night at the theatre for under $10.00, complete with pictures, websites, numbers, and extra background for those of you who want to fake knowing Borodin from Baryshnikov or Monet from Massenet.
Olivia Giovetti, Founder and Editor
Olivia Giovetti grew up reading European guidebooks bought from the markdown section of Borders and watching Joan Sutherland operas on laserdisc. After seeing Puccini’s La Boheme one too many times, she began living in and exploring the better part of Europe on a bohemian budget. A freelance writer who specializes in travel and arts and culture, she has previously worked with a handful of arts institutions in the US and Europe (and still freelances with them when she can).
Olivia has written for GoBudget Travel, Brave New Traveler, EuroCheapo, Paper, Traveling Stories, the City University of New York, New York City Opera, and The Laputan. I have upcoming articles for NYCO’s Playbill, Classic FM Magazine, and a few others and am always working. She’s also a usual suspect on CosmoTourist.com.
Lawson Marlowe, Co-Editor
After living in and learning enough about Japan to fully dominate any Jeopardy! category and outsmart even the Giant Robots, Lawson set his sights towards Europe. When he’s not writing about travel for websites such as Cosmotourist, he’s writing opera libretti and studying up on ethnomusicology. Not only can he tell you what music you’ll like, he’ll also explain why psycoholgically and scientifically it jives with you. Which can make any 6 hour plane ride fly by.
Annie, Administrative Assistant
When she’s not standing on top of air conditioning units or having a love affair with her chew stick, Annie’s responsibilities include Accounts Payable, conference calls, and coordinating Casual Fridays. She’s also available for freelance work.
December 19, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Hi I’m trying to Olivia about a possible assignment with Budget Travel. I’m a senior editor at the magazine. I’m putting together a little package for our April issue on cheap deals in Europe for Americans who are worried about the tanking dollar and I’d like to talk to Olivia about finding some good culture/art deals in Europe for me.
My email address is justin.bergman@budgettravel.com. Please contact me as soon as possible!
Thanks
February 6, 2008 at 6:51 am
Hey Olivia,
I didn’t know you had a blog, I am going to add your to mine. Here is mine http://blog.katerinafiore.com
See ya at Cosmotourist
a presto,
Kate
February 8, 2008 at 2:24 am
Hi Olivia
Perhaps you’d enjoy my article on the Love exhibition at the City Museum in Bristol.
http://heatheronhertravels.blogspot.com/2008/02/love-and-street-art-in-bristol.html
Also hoping to get to Valencia this spring so will keep a look out for some great and cheap cultural experiences for you.
February 15, 2008 at 8:17 am
Hi Olivia
Thanks for the mention and I’ve returned the favour with a small tribute to your blog.
I’ll keep a look out for any more cultural treats for you on my wanderings.
Best wishes
Heather
February 21, 2008 at 2:23 am
Hi Olivia
I’d value your advice on a proposal that someone has put to me regarding blogging on another site.
Might be better to discuss by e-mail – would you mind sending me your address at heathercowper@blueyonder.co.uk
I’d appreciate your help.
Many Thanks
February 27, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Have a nice day !
March 4, 2008 at 10:46 pm
March 4, 2008
Dear Ms. Giovetti,
In just a few weeks Angela K. Nickerson’s book, A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome (Roaring Forties Press, April 2008), will hit the stores. Angela is headed out on tour to promote the book, and she is also participating in a virtual book tour. We would like to include http://cultureonthecheap.wordpress.com/ as a stop on the virtual book tour. In addition to discussing her book, Angela is willing to share a few tips on traveling in Italy without spending a lot of money — a subject she knows well.
If you have never hosted a guest before, here’s how it works:
During a virtual book tour, the author visits a specific lineup of websites or blogs. During each stop Angela K. Nickerson may be featured on the sites in a variety of ways:
The site owner/staff may interview the author
The site owner/staff may do a book review
The author may make guest “blog” entries including text and/or photography
The author may answer questions from readers/site visitors, often via message board or Comments on a blog.
Any combination of the above
Angela will only appear on one site or blog each day of the tour.
In addition, Angela is willing to participate in:
Travel Writing Exercises
Contests
Live chats with a Moderator
Her participation on your site will be noted when she makes personal appearances as well as on Angela’s sites:
http://web.mac.com/aknickerson/Home/Home.html
http://www.redroom.com/author/angela-k-nickerson
http://booktour.com/author/angela_k_nickerson
Angela K. Nickerson will be available April 13-19, just in time for those making summer travel plans to participate.
I would be happy to send along other materials. Please contact me for more information.
If you are interested in booking Angela to appear on http://cultureonthecheap.wordpress.com/ during this time, please contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements and to discuss the specific focus for Angela’s visit to your site.
Yours,
Abby Caribou
acaribou@mac.com
March 13, 2008 at 1:45 am
Hi Olivia
Happy to do something with you in your new format – perhaps featuring some of my favourite and free places in Bristol.
Or if you’d like to keep it to high culture, I could take you on a tour of the delights of Bristol’s several free museums.
Best wishes
Heather
January 28, 2009 at 6:34 am
Olivia,
I posted about your blog today. One of my favs! Check it out!
Hope all is well!
a presto,
Katie