*This post has been updated.

Dear team,

Time is flying! Thursday makes a year since the global tour was launched. Can you believe it?!

Cycle 3 is coming together at a quick clip, with developments on multiple fronts, which is the reason for this update. These developments are divided into three categories below.

I could not have gotten this far without you. Thank you for helping me build this work of art!

The categories: Hell yeah!, Heck yeah! and Aw, hell:

HELL YEAH!

--The contract is signed: City Love Song: From the World to America will be presented at 59E59 Theaters in January 2013!

--A collaboration is nearing: Fellow Kickstarter alumni Drew Norton and I have opened discussions about making videos together for this project!

HECK YEAH!

--A number of journalists have recently expressed interest in this project, and while there are no guarantees, one of these journalists has stated that coverage will in fact be forthcoming.

AW, HELL.

--Making bookings nationally is among the most time-consuming tasks I face, and it is often quite frustrating. If you can recommend coffee shops, book stores, pubs or universities who would be open to performance in any of the cities on this map, you would do me a huge favor. (If you can recommend ME to THEM, you stand among the angels.)

--Funding. The national tour can be produced inexpensively but stands well beyond my present means. As such, I will likely mount a second fundraising campaign. You generous folks have done your duty--I cannot and do not expect you to give a second time. (If you do, though...well, see note about angels above.)

Multiple grants have been applied for, and now I wait to hear responses. (Three have answered "No" so far, with two of those for funding and one for rehearsal space.)

It is my good fortune to hold two jobs. These have allowed me to climb out of the hole created by last year's three major productions, and also to squirrel away just enough to fulfill my financial obligation for use of Theater C at 59E59.

I am very proud to have come this far, and I'd be a fool to ever say I did so alone. The many of you are one portion of an even larger pool of people who have brought this project to life. I will need your support going forward, support of any nature--not just financial--and I am grateful for all you have done.

FINALLY, AND MOST EXCITING:

The story is emerging. This is a thrilling time for me as an artist. The ideas and feelings and themes of the piece have been making themselves known. Now I get to handle those shapes, turn them over and explore them and then drape them with language. This feels so good!

Peace and joy to each of you. Give yourself one moment today, one pause for art or love or life in full expression--all one and the same, I say.

Jack Finnegan

• www.citylovesong.com

• @CityLoveSong

• Facebook/CityLoveSong

Hey gang!

I am thrilled to remind you that the second Notebook Session will be held this Wednesday, March 21 at Jimmy's No. 43 in New York City.

Join me at 7 PM. We'll make a toast, and then I'll spin some tales from Cape Town, South Africa and Brisbane, Australia.

The first session in February was terrific fun, and for me as an artist it was incredibly rewarding. That's the great news: telling these stories helps me get to the essence of this wealth of material. That in turn teaches me how best to share the abundance of that wealth.

You helped to make this whole thing possible and I never forget that. These Notebook Sessions belong more to you than anyone else. Beyond that they're just good fun!

I'd love to see you Wednesday. Don't forget, these shows are free. And I'll also have some goodies for you!

Notebook Session #2: Cape Town & Brisbane

7 PM

Jimmy's No. 43, 43 E. 7th Street NYC (btw 2nd & 3rd)

FREE

Just a brief followup to tell you that the Notebook Sessions are set and ready to go!

7 PM at Jimmy's No. 43 (43 E. 7th St. in NYC--same spot as the NYFA shoot in December!)

• 22 February: Guatemala City & Berlin
• 21 March: Cape Town & Brisbane
• 18 April: Casablanca/Marrakech, Istanbul & Shanghai
• 16 May: Rio de Janeiro, New Delhi & Melbourne
• 20 June: Santiago de Chile, Tokyo & Vancouver, BC

FREE!

Dates won't change, but the order of the cities may.

More info here. I hope to see you there!

Wow! Hello everybody. Nice to send you an update again. Especially now, since I'm beginning to see the fruit of the labor that you made possible.

The global tour concluded in August. Now, after months of recovering, remembering, reflecting and applying for grants (with more to be tried for) I have begun the writing process for the final phase of this project. (The creative process was already well underway.)

This beginning was heralded with the publishing of a short video last week, which I have embedded below. Though I've posted some photos on Flickr, this is really the first of the video footage from the global tour:

There are three phases for production for this year, as mentioned in the video. More on the NYC run and the national tour later; today I'd like to tell you about the workshop performances.

On 22 February, and then on the third Wednesday of March, April, May and June, I will be hosting gatherings in a reserved space at Jimmy's No. 43 in the East Village, the same spot I recorded footage for my NYFA Fellowship application.

These events are free of charge (beverages are to be purchased at the bar, but there is no drink minimum) and are intended to be loose, informal gatherings with some kickin' stories told.

We'll make a toast, and then I'll relate tales from cities visited.

Since we'll be meeting in a public house, I will use beverages as starting points. We'll make a toast to the cities that are united by a common beverage, and then I'll tell some stories for about an hour. Just like an evening around the campfire! Except, no campfire.

Never fear, non-drinkers! Juice, soda, soft drinks and the like are all available.

Together we will hang out, hear some stories, find connections between far-distant places, and let the final story for City Love Song take shape before a live audience--you!

First up, 22 February: Guatemala City and Berlin

Common beverage: Beer

7 PM at Jimmy's No. 43, at 43 East 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd

FREE

Then third Wednesday of March (Cape Town and Brisbane), April (Morocco, Istanbul and Shanghai), May (Rio, New Delhi and Melbourne), and June (Santiago de Chile, Tokyo and Vancouver BC). City order is subject to change.

I am working to have a video detailing the event on 22 February published by 8 February. Please remember, you are all creative stakeholders in this project, since it was your generosity that made this next phase possible. I'd love to see you at Jimmy's, and please help me spread the word!

Warmest regards,

Jack

www.citylovesong.com