I am going to be traveling and preparing to take up a new position so I am dipping back into the archives to help provide some content while I am busy elsewhere. One of the first entries I came across in my review of old posts seemed to be well-suited for re-examination. Back in 2009 … Read more
For about 7 years now I have been paying attention to the basic concept of leadership transition in non-profits. At first there the conversation was about the lack of transition planning with dual concerns about “older executives” not trusting emerging leaders to take the reins and the perceived lack of work/life balance in the executive … Read more
Last month Non-Profit Quarterly (NPQ) published a summary of BoardSource’s governance index, Leading With Intent. The summary is encouraging in that it shows a vast majority of non-profit boards engage in good governance practices. (Although NPQ notes that the results may be slightly skewed given most people on BoardSource’s survey mailing list tend to be … Read more
Artsjournal.com had a link to a story on ArtSeek about the difficulty arts organizations in the greater Dallas-Ft. Worth area were having finding arts managers. A good many positions are going unfilled. The article also cites the example of the NY Philharmonic being turned down by six candidates before finally hiring an Australian. Now I … Read more
A nod to our friends at the Non-Profit Law blog for noting that CompassPoint Non Profit Services and the Myer Foundation who teamed up three years ago to bring us the report I blogged on, Ready to Lead, studying trends in emerging leadership of non-profits, has come out with a new Daring To Lead, studying … Read more
David Dombrowsky, Executive Director of Center for Arts Management and Technology, retweeted an article from Inc magazine about exit strategies for non-profit entrepreneurs asking, “Can you think of arts examples?” Since the Inc piece is about entrepreneurs using their exits strategically to help their organizations grow/transition, my assumption is that Dombrowsky is asking if anyone … Read more
Last week Andrew Taylor posted an entry about the release of a report for which his students were involved collecting information at and about last summer’s National Performing Arts Convention. The report examines the capacity for the arts disciplines to engage in collective action. As you might imagine, I found much of it very interesting. … Read more
For those who have been eagerly awaiting a post on the implications of the chicken dance at weddings on the greater culture as a whole, I am sorry to disappoint you, I didn’t gain any insights while at my sister’s wedding. I don’t even think they played the chicken dance, much to my relief. I … Read more
Came across a link to the results of a listening tour Building Movement did among non-profit leaders back in 2004. The results of the conversations they recorded are very similar to the observations made by Ben Cameron in his address to the Southern Arts Federation this Fall. (Perhaps his speech was based on Building Movement’s … Read more
It’s never too early to start planning for the next conference I always say. Well, at least I have been saying it recently as a way to encourage some members of the Emerging Leadership Institute alumni to put their heads together to see how we can address some of the concerns we had last year … Read more
Given rising concerns in the arts industry about the lack of succession planning and dearth of qualified people to assume organizational reins when the current leadership retires, I thought a recent piece on the Chronicle of Higher Education on recruitment had some relevance. The article is mainly aimed at academic departments looking for faculty but … Read more
I have been away for a few days, thus the lack of postings on my usual schedule. My thoughts have not been far from arts management though so I offer up the following article on the dearth of qualified theatre managers which appeared in the January 2007 American Theatre. The article was scanned and posted … Read more
I had mentioned in an earlier entry that I met blogger and arts consultant Neill Archer Roan at the APAP conference a couple weeks ago. I saw he was sitting on a conference panel during a time I had a scheduling conflict and thinking it might be my only chance to see him, stuck my … Read more
To pick up a little where I left off yesterday. A good part of the rest of the first day was devoted to reading literature and discussing the difference between leadership and management and how you can exhibit leadership even if you aren’t an area or department head. The second day we were a little … Read more
Okay, I know this week I posted a piece that continued my long standing assertion that talking about the economic impact of the arts is not an effective way to garner long term support and investment around arts and cultural activities. However, while it shouldn’t be the central argument for support, I don’t discount the … Read more
I don’t recall what originally brought it to my attention or caused me to read it more closely, but the Executive Director job search announcement for Forecast Public Art struck me as interesting. Forecast is looking for a new executive director because the founding executive director is stepping down after 38 years to become the … Read more
Have to give a shout out to DC Arts Jobs blog. The purpose of the blog is “An informal collection of job postings at arts organizations in the Washington, DC area, focusing on development and special events, but encompassing other functions and other cities as well. Some light commentary is provided where the author thinks … Read more
I was wondering if you would enjoy that Ray.
Thank you for the post. Simon Rattle and the students made my day!
Santa Cruz Shakespeare has several tiers of benefits for donors/members. Some, like season-announcement parties, are open to several tiers. Some,…