Evan’s corner

Written by: Evan Lowenstein

I hope I can be permitted to indulge myself in some reminiscing because this year I turned the corner and hit the age of 60.
Not normally a reflective person, it is now perhaps opportune to take a short look back and relate the best things about working as an accountant to you. To many of you I have been your trusted and hardworking accountant for many years, having started way back in November 1985.
By far these two years living with COVID-19 have been the hardest that I can recall.
We have been fortunate that we have had a remarkable Federal government response to the pandemic that has saved many businesses, livelihoods and people from going under.
However, the pandemic has added many stresses and strains to an already difficult situation for our many creative clients but I am strengthened and heartened to be of service to so many of you and you, in turn, have really supported us as well, for which we are indeed thankful.
It is especially rewarding to work in a niche area like the arts which is a passion of mine both personally and professionally. It is just amazing to see so many of my wonderful artist friends and clients doing so well in the very difficult environment in which we find ourselves. In a way, even though we have different vocations, we have developed together in age as well as experience – effectively growing older together.
To be witness to the growth of their careers and personal development is indeed very rewarding.
To have been given the opportunity to work as a professional in the arts by my father, Tom, the founder of Lowensteins Arts Management and its predecessor (Lowenstein Sharp) is a great honour and I hope I can value his legacy by continuing to be of great service to our clients.
I also remind clients of the book, Lovers and Others Tom’s autobiography, that he has just published. Although we had to delay the official launch for a month, the book offer is on page 1.
At Lowensteins Arts Management I have a wonderful staff and am indeed fortunate to be surrounded by great fellow partners and staff who have been only supportive and great in sharing the vision of being a true firm of service and hard work.
Finally, on a lighter note, I reminded myself of an incident that occurred when I was starting out as an accountant and I was doing a simple tax return for a young artist.
When it came to asking him about the equipment that he had purchased and whether he had any receipts, for the claims he wished to make for the equipment, his response was: “No, I stole most of them!”
It was then that I knew I wanted to make a career in the arts.