My new favorite phrase of the week is ”perverse incentive,” a concept and a construct that seems to suit the arts and culture world in so many ways. The term describes a policy that is intended to promote one outcome, but that instead creates the opposite, or fosters a countervailing negative effect. Some examples from […]

When we talk about cultural disciplines — dance, theater, fiction, and so on — we tend to speak of them as if they are self-contained. Theater may respond to evolving stage technology and alternative spacers, but it’s still roughly theater in the way we know it. And because significant changes to the environment have tended […]

One of the key requirements for learning in any complex endeavor is time for focused reflection following action. Looking back on goals, choices, actions, and perceptions, and comparing them to actual outcomes is the one best way to become more effective over time, and to adjust action or strategy that doesn’t deliver. This is what’s […]

At the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in New York a few weeks back, there were several formal sessions and lots of informal conversation about knowledge sharing between generations. With a good portion of founders and trail-blazers on the cusp of retirement (assuming, of course, that they can afford to retire anymore), and a […]

The big Arts Presenters conference in New York hasn’t yet begun, but I’m already sensing a trend in the conversation — based on the folks I’ve already talked with before it all begins. Obviously, the economy is delivering a gut punch to so many cultural organizations, and the people and organizations that support them. Endowments […]

I’m on my way to New York today to attend the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference — some 4000 venue managers, agents, artists, and supporting organizations booking their seasons and connecting with their peers. If you’re wandering around the Hilton New York, give me a wave. I’ll be participating in three panel discussions […]

The Guardian posts some interesting thoughts from Clay Shirky on what might happen to traditional media in 2009. In a nutshell, he says, ”2009 is going to be a bloodbath.” While traditional publishing companies and nonprofit cultural organizations are obviously different beasts in many respects, they have eerie similarities as well. Both represent fairly well […]

As budgets get tight and staffing gets slim, nonprofit arts organizations will have even more reason to rethink and revitalize their use of volunteers. For those eager to do so, Stanford Social Innovation Review offers this short primer on how to bring strategy and intent to the essential resource of unpaid labor. How big is […]

Last month, I was invited to speak to a gathering of ”emerging leaders” (a term I still dislike…I’m leaning toward ”emergent leaders” instead) in Wisconsin, hosted by Arts Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Arts Board, and Overture Center for the Arts. My morning speech gave me the opportunity to sit down with the participants during their roundtable […]

Happy almost New Year to all, and apologies for my extended absence from this blog. Too much to juggle elsewhere, including preparation for the upcoming Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in New York in early January. I’ll likely be back to blogging on January 5. In the meanwhile, I hope everyone had a wonderful […]