AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- After Five Years In Prison And Nine Days Missing, Dissident Cuban Artist Arrives In US
“After over a week of ambiguity surrounding his whereabouts following his scheduled release from a five-year sentence for ‘contempt, defamation, and public disorder,’ Cuban dissident performance artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami on Saturday, July 18.” – Hyperallergic
- Lam Wing-Kee, Bookseller Who Became Hero Of Hong Kong Resistance, Has Died At 70
“Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller who became a symbol of resistance to Beijing’s crackdown on speech freedom after he was seized by Chinese authorities in late 2015, has died in Taiwan. … Lam was one of five people affiliated with Causeway Bay Books who disappeared in late 2015.” – AP
- Here Are The Books All Students In Texas Schools Will Be Required To Read
“(The state) is doing something unusual, attempting to create a common canon of books that all students statewide will be required to read. The list was approved last month by the Republican-led Texas State Board of Education and is in the process of being finalized. It will take effect starting in 2030.” – The New York Times
- Chief Executive Officer, Organ Historical Society
The Organ Historical Society welcomes nominations and applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer, available in September 2026.
Organ Historical Society
www.organhistoricalsociety.orgNow celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its founding, the Organ Historical Society (OHS) enriches public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the pipe organ and its place in history and culture.
OHS began in 1956 with an impromptu meeting of young organ enthusiasts who shared an interest in locating historic pipe organs in New York City. Membership has since grown to include an international roster of musicians, organ builders, historians, scholars, and music lovers. The founders of OHS aspired to visit extant American “tracker” organs, create a comprehensive list with specifications, and share information with interested organ scholars. OHS has far exceeded this aspiration in the decades since and has created an online database of pipe organs with more than 60,000 entries; an historic organ citation program that has recognized more than 400 instruments; the world’s largest collection of pipe organ-related archives, books, journals, pamphlets, and other ephemera; publications including a quarterly journal and award-winning scholarly books on the pipe organ; and an online store with organ-related books, CDs, videos, and sheet music. Members and organ enthusiasts gather annually for conventions in cities across North America where they explore, study, and listen to the community’s most interesting historic instruments. OHS nurtures the next generation of organ performers, researchers, and builders through its annual E. Power Biggs Fellowship.
In 2017, with generous support from Wyncote Foundation, OHS moved its headquarters to Stoneleigh, a historic mansion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, located on a 40-acre property managed by the Natural Lands Trust. The OHS Library and Archives, a world-renowned research collection, is housed in state-of-the-art facilities at Stoneleigh. An historic Aeolian-Skinner organ, Opus 878, the centerpiece of the OHS headquarters building, allows OHS to present public performances as well.
OHS is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer oversees a staff of eight full- and part-time employees. The OHS manages endowed funds of $4 million; the FY 26 operating budget is $700,000.
The Opportunity
The next Chief Executive Officer will take the helm of a healthy organization that is well-positioned for growth both organizationally and financially. The CEO will have the opportunity to build on the strength and success of existing OHS programs and lead the organization toward demonstrable strategic growth, institutional strengthening, and renewed membership engagement. The next CEO will expand OHS’s reach, deepen its impact, and ensure its long-term sustainability.
The Position
The Chief Executive Officer ensures that OHS realizes its vision, fulfills its mission, and achieves its goals for financial, organizational, and programmatic success. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible and accountable for all aspects of OHS’s operations, including: strategic planning; program development and management; fundraising; membership development; member satisfaction; financial management; communications and marketing; publications; public relations; educational programs and activities; human resource management; community and local government relations; and advocacy.
Working closely with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads OHS’s strategic planning process to clarify priorities, align programs with member values, and ensure that resources are used wisely and effectively. The CEO works with the Board to refine governance practices to ensure that OHS’s structure supports its mission, strategic goals, and future growth. The CEO ensures effective communication across all channels, especially with OHS’s membership, to maintain a strong public relations and media presence across multiple platforms. The CEO recruits, motivates, mentors, and evaluates an effective professional staff within a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and collaboration.
The CEO serves as the chief fundraiser for OHS. The CEO develops and implements multi-year fundraising strategies designed to increase annual giving, develop special project support, and achieve significant expansion of OHS’s endowment. Working with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and provide excellent stewardship of gifts from individuals, government, and private foundations.
The CEO develops and implements a plan to increase and diversify OHS’s membership to include opportunities for organ professionals and enthusiasts of all ages from their student days, throughout their careers, and on through retirement. The CEO leads the development of a revitalized educational program at Stoneleigh and in partnership with schools, universities, and cultural institutions throughout North America. The CEO develops professional convenings and national conferences that engage members and provide valuable professional growth opportunities for all participants.
The CEO of OHS is an active participant in the Villanova and greater Philadelphia arts, culture, and conservation community, representing OHS and encouraging interest and support from local residents.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be a proven leader with the ability to embrace and articulate the vision, mission, and goals of the Organ Historical Society with clarity and conviction. The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of music and musical instruments, and enthusiasm for learning about the history and development of the pipe organ. Experience as an organ builder or an organist, while not required, will be seen as an asset, as will successful experience leading a nonprofit membership organization.
The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with the vision to chart future directions, recognize opportunities, forge consensus, and harness the energies of diverse constituencies to accomplish common goals. The candidate will be a good listener with excellent interpersonal skills. The candidate will have a track record for encouraging participation of various constituents in planning and decision-making in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic fundraiser with the proven ability to achieve and exceed goals for philanthropic support and the willingness to devote substantial time and effort to fundraising. The candidate will have experience in all aspects of fundraising, including annual giving, special events, planned giving, capital and endowment campaigns, and grant writing. The successful candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
The successful candidate will be an experienced manager with the demonstrated ability to set expectations and assure both financial and operational accountability throughout the organization. The successful candidate will be experienced in working with an active and engaged volunteer Board of Directors. The candidate will be skilled in promoting effective governance and utilizing the talents of Board members to the maximum benefit of OHS. The candidate will lead staff in an environment that fosters creativity, transparency, a commitment to excellence, and teamwork. The candidate will be able to innovate, manage change, move an agenda forward, and resolve conflict.
The successful candidate will have an engaging public personality and presence, high energy, and excellent public speaking and listening skills. The candidate will have the ability to relate and interact effectively with stakeholders who represent a broad diversity in age, education, gender, and socio-economic status. The successful candidate will be kind, creative, curious, and flexible. The candidate will bring at least ten years’ senior executive leadership experience and will possess common sense, sound judgment, and good humor in abundance.
Compensation
OHS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000; the benefits package includes paid vacation and sick leave and funding for health insurance and a retirement program.
Applications
OHS welcomes recommendations, nominations, and applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, or marital status, or any other basis protected by law. Candidates must be authorized to work legally in the United States.
Please submit a resumé along with a cover letter that describes your specific interest in the mission and work of OHS and your qualifications for the position as described in the candidate profile. On a separate sheet, provide the names and contact information for several professional references. All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement.
Electronic submissions are requested. Please send to:
President and CEO – Organ Historical Society
c/o Catherine French Group
applications@catherinefrenchgroup.com(Adobe Acrobat PDF attachments only, please)
- Culture’s Business Models, Both on Trial
Good Morning,
The French are fighting for their cultural model in the street: an estimated 1,800 people protested arts funding cuts in front of Avignon’s Papal Palace, turning the festival into a month-long argument over what the state owes its artists (The New York Times). America had that argument 35 years ago, and The New Yorker revisits how it got ignited — an NEA chairman who believed in artistic freedom, flip-flopping between his principles and his politics. The most durable American answer turns out to be local: Cleveland just ranked first among ten U.S. cities for arts-organization revenue growth, on the strength of Cuyahoga County’s public funding (Ideastream).
The market model is hitting its ceiling at the same time. Artnet asks whether the mega-gallery era was the art world’s march on Moscow, and the auction houses’ half-year reports read less like art sales than financial-services prospectuses — a significant shift in the business model (ARTnews). The counterintuitive retail lesson comes from Costco, thriving as the anti-Amazon by selling less choice, not more (The Walrus).
And the World Cup staged its first-ever halftime show. “Well, that happened” is a review (The New York Times).
All of our stories below.
ISSUES
- Auction House Sales Reports Show A Fundamental Change In The Art Business
This year, the houses devoted nearly as much space to private sales, lending, financial services, luxury goods, hospitality, and advisory work as they did to paintings and sculptures. Read together, they suggest that the biggest transformation in the auction business isn’t the recovery itself. It’s the transformation of the auction houses’ businesses. – ARTnews
- A Bill In Congress To Protect Art Owned by The Federal Government
The PRESERVE Act (“Protecting Resources and Ensuring Stewardship of Enduring Records of Visual Expression Act”) would require the General Services Administration, which manages federal agencies, to identify any artworks contained within government buildings deemed “surplus property” and form a committee to oversee the future of said artworks. – ARTnews
- The End Of The Mega Gallery
“Are we witnessing the art world’s Napoleonic march to Moscow, an over-expansion propelled by hubris that is now inevitably falling to its knees?” – Artnet
- Renoir Sure Painted A Lot Of Young Girls
Who were they? – LitHub
- Ghana’s Handpainted, Sensationalist, Often Inaccurate Film Posters Have Become Collectible Art
“Heavy J was creating a poster … for the animated fairytale The Little Mermaid. The man with the knife wasn’t a killer but the film’s kind-hearted prince, Eric. The skull was also unrelated to the story. ‘We add more to make people interested,’ said Heavy J.” – The Guardian (UK)
MEDIA
- What Touched Off The Culture Wars
Frohnmayer’s dilemma was that he believed in artistic freedom and didn’t think Congress should dictate what the N.E.A. funded, but he also felt obliged, as a political appointee, to avoid funding work that Congress and the President found offensive. The result was flip-flopping. – The New Yorker
- Cleveland Comes Out On Top For Public Funding Of The Arts
The report ranked Cleveland No. 1 revenue growth among arts organizations from 2019 to 2024 in a cohort of 10 U.S. cities. The others were Atlanta, Des Moines, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento and Seattle. – Ideastream
- Music Publishers Drop Lawsuits Against X, Which Drops Lawsuits Against Music Publishers
Why? No one’s saying: “In their legal papers, the companies gave no reason for the stipulation of dismissal and did not mention any settlement.” – The New York Times
- Nebraska’s Cultural Endowment Did Decades Of Great Work, But The State’s Finances May Kill It Off
“This unusual, public-private fund is made up of philanthropic donations matched dollar-for-dollar by the state” – and now the state has snatched back one third of the endowment to help balance the budget. – NPR
- Why Trump Is Fixated On Smithsonian History
People often joke about how Trumpism would like to return us to some version of the 1950s, when America supposedly was “great.” In this report, the administration has done just that. The report would prefer that nothing had ever happened since the ’50s to mar the White House’s polished, superficial, puerile version of America’s past. – The New York Times
MUSIC
- Here Are The Books All Students In Texas Schools Will Be Required To Read
“(The state) is doing something unusual, attempting to create a common canon of books that all students statewide will be required to read. The list was approved last month by the Republican-led Texas State Board of Education and is in the process of being finalized. It will take effect starting in 2030.” – The New York Times
- When Is It Okay To Let A Language Die?
Preserve this language (or species or building or mine) or else surrender to indifference, cynicism, and nihilism. But is that ever the choice we face? – The New Yorker
- How Publishers Fight For Sweet, Sweet ‘Odyssey’ Money
New covers – foil-stamped! Or colorfully graphic-novel-esque! – famous translators, deckled edges, and marketing moves try to set apart various versions of The Odyssey for the surprisingly robust market. – The New York Times
- In The UK, Fifty Years Of Post-Punk, Radical Fanzines See A Massive Resurgence
Why? “Digital attention span is at an all-time low. … You’re almost definitely going to spend more time looking at a zine than anything you see scrolling. It’s more interesting and more real.” – The Guardian (UK)
- The Irish Times Catches Up On BookTok And Bookstagram
“Contemporary readers remain as eccentric as ever. Some buy two copies of each book: one to read messily and another to display smartly on the shelf. … And many, many of them annotate. Furiously. Dedicatedly. Fanatically.” – Irish Times
PEOPLE
- After Five Years In Prison And Nine Days Missing, Dissident Cuban Artist Arrives In US
“After over a week of ambiguity surrounding his whereabouts following his scheduled release from a five-year sentence for ‘contempt, defamation, and public disorder,’ Cuban dissident performance artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami on Saturday, July 18.” – Hyperallergic
- Lam Wing-Kee, Bookseller Who Became Hero Of Hong Kong Resistance, Has Died At 70
“Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller who became a symbol of resistance to Beijing’s crackdown on speech freedom after he was seized by Chinese authorities in late 2015, has died in Taiwan. … Lam was one of five people affiliated with Causeway Bay Books who disappeared in late 2015.” – AP
- Here Are The Books All Students In Texas Schools Will Be Required To Read
“(The state) is doing something unusual, attempting to create a common canon of books that all students statewide will be required to read. The list was approved last month by the Republican-led Texas State Board of Education and is in the process of being finalized. It will take effect starting in 2030.” – The New York Times
- Chief Executive Officer, Organ Historical Society
The Organ Historical Society welcomes nominations and applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer, available in September 2026.
Organ Historical Society
www.organhistoricalsociety.orgNow celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its founding, the Organ Historical Society (OHS) enriches public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the pipe organ and its place in history and culture.
OHS began in 1956 with an impromptu meeting of young organ enthusiasts who shared an interest in locating historic pipe organs in New York City. Membership has since grown to include an international roster of musicians, organ builders, historians, scholars, and music lovers. The founders of OHS aspired to visit extant American “tracker” organs, create a comprehensive list with specifications, and share information with interested organ scholars. OHS has far exceeded this aspiration in the decades since and has created an online database of pipe organs with more than 60,000 entries; an historic organ citation program that has recognized more than 400 instruments; the world’s largest collection of pipe organ-related archives, books, journals, pamphlets, and other ephemera; publications including a quarterly journal and award-winning scholarly books on the pipe organ; and an online store with organ-related books, CDs, videos, and sheet music. Members and organ enthusiasts gather annually for conventions in cities across North America where they explore, study, and listen to the community’s most interesting historic instruments. OHS nurtures the next generation of organ performers, researchers, and builders through its annual E. Power Biggs Fellowship.
In 2017, with generous support from Wyncote Foundation, OHS moved its headquarters to Stoneleigh, a historic mansion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, located on a 40-acre property managed by the Natural Lands Trust. The OHS Library and Archives, a world-renowned research collection, is housed in state-of-the-art facilities at Stoneleigh. An historic Aeolian-Skinner organ, Opus 878, the centerpiece of the OHS headquarters building, allows OHS to present public performances as well.
OHS is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer oversees a staff of eight full- and part-time employees. The OHS manages endowed funds of $4 million; the FY 26 operating budget is $700,000.
The Opportunity
The next Chief Executive Officer will take the helm of a healthy organization that is well-positioned for growth both organizationally and financially. The CEO will have the opportunity to build on the strength and success of existing OHS programs and lead the organization toward demonstrable strategic growth, institutional strengthening, and renewed membership engagement. The next CEO will expand OHS’s reach, deepen its impact, and ensure its long-term sustainability.
The Position
The Chief Executive Officer ensures that OHS realizes its vision, fulfills its mission, and achieves its goals for financial, organizational, and programmatic success. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible and accountable for all aspects of OHS’s operations, including: strategic planning; program development and management; fundraising; membership development; member satisfaction; financial management; communications and marketing; publications; public relations; educational programs and activities; human resource management; community and local government relations; and advocacy.
Working closely with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads OHS’s strategic planning process to clarify priorities, align programs with member values, and ensure that resources are used wisely and effectively. The CEO works with the Board to refine governance practices to ensure that OHS’s structure supports its mission, strategic goals, and future growth. The CEO ensures effective communication across all channels, especially with OHS’s membership, to maintain a strong public relations and media presence across multiple platforms. The CEO recruits, motivates, mentors, and evaluates an effective professional staff within a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and collaboration.
The CEO serves as the chief fundraiser for OHS. The CEO develops and implements multi-year fundraising strategies designed to increase annual giving, develop special project support, and achieve significant expansion of OHS’s endowment. Working with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and provide excellent stewardship of gifts from individuals, government, and private foundations.
The CEO develops and implements a plan to increase and diversify OHS’s membership to include opportunities for organ professionals and enthusiasts of all ages from their student days, throughout their careers, and on through retirement. The CEO leads the development of a revitalized educational program at Stoneleigh and in partnership with schools, universities, and cultural institutions throughout North America. The CEO develops professional convenings and national conferences that engage members and provide valuable professional growth opportunities for all participants.
The CEO of OHS is an active participant in the Villanova and greater Philadelphia arts, culture, and conservation community, representing OHS and encouraging interest and support from local residents.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be a proven leader with the ability to embrace and articulate the vision, mission, and goals of the Organ Historical Society with clarity and conviction. The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of music and musical instruments, and enthusiasm for learning about the history and development of the pipe organ. Experience as an organ builder or an organist, while not required, will be seen as an asset, as will successful experience leading a nonprofit membership organization.
The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with the vision to chart future directions, recognize opportunities, forge consensus, and harness the energies of diverse constituencies to accomplish common goals. The candidate will be a good listener with excellent interpersonal skills. The candidate will have a track record for encouraging participation of various constituents in planning and decision-making in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic fundraiser with the proven ability to achieve and exceed goals for philanthropic support and the willingness to devote substantial time and effort to fundraising. The candidate will have experience in all aspects of fundraising, including annual giving, special events, planned giving, capital and endowment campaigns, and grant writing. The successful candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
The successful candidate will be an experienced manager with the demonstrated ability to set expectations and assure both financial and operational accountability throughout the organization. The successful candidate will be experienced in working with an active and engaged volunteer Board of Directors. The candidate will be skilled in promoting effective governance and utilizing the talents of Board members to the maximum benefit of OHS. The candidate will lead staff in an environment that fosters creativity, transparency, a commitment to excellence, and teamwork. The candidate will be able to innovate, manage change, move an agenda forward, and resolve conflict.
The successful candidate will have an engaging public personality and presence, high energy, and excellent public speaking and listening skills. The candidate will have the ability to relate and interact effectively with stakeholders who represent a broad diversity in age, education, gender, and socio-economic status. The successful candidate will be kind, creative, curious, and flexible. The candidate will bring at least ten years’ senior executive leadership experience and will possess common sense, sound judgment, and good humor in abundance.
Compensation
OHS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000; the benefits package includes paid vacation and sick leave and funding for health insurance and a retirement program.
Applications
OHS welcomes recommendations, nominations, and applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, or marital status, or any other basis protected by law. Candidates must be authorized to work legally in the United States.
Please submit a resumé along with a cover letter that describes your specific interest in the mission and work of OHS and your qualifications for the position as described in the candidate profile. On a separate sheet, provide the names and contact information for several professional references. All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement.
Electronic submissions are requested. Please send to:
President and CEO – Organ Historical Society
c/o Catherine French Group
applications@catherinefrenchgroup.com(Adobe Acrobat PDF attachments only, please)
- Culture’s Business Models, Both on Trial
Good Morning,
The French are fighting for their cultural model in the street: an estimated 1,800 people protested arts funding cuts in front of Avignon’s Papal Palace, turning the festival into a month-long argument over what the state owes its artists (The New York Times). America had that argument 35 years ago, and The New Yorker revisits how it got ignited — an NEA chairman who believed in artistic freedom, flip-flopping between his principles and his politics. The most durable American answer turns out to be local: Cleveland just ranked first among ten U.S. cities for arts-organization revenue growth, on the strength of Cuyahoga County’s public funding (Ideastream).
The market model is hitting its ceiling at the same time. Artnet asks whether the mega-gallery era was the art world’s march on Moscow, and the auction houses’ half-year reports read less like art sales than financial-services prospectuses — a significant shift in the business model (ARTnews). The counterintuitive retail lesson comes from Costco, thriving as the anti-Amazon by selling less choice, not more (The Walrus).
And the World Cup staged its first-ever halftime show. “Well, that happened” is a review (The New York Times).
All of our stories below.
PEOPLE
- After Five Years In Prison And Nine Days Missing, Dissident Cuban Artist Arrives In US
“After over a week of ambiguity surrounding his whereabouts following his scheduled release from a five-year sentence for ‘contempt, defamation, and public disorder,’ Cuban dissident performance artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami on Saturday, July 18.” – Hyperallergic
- Lam Wing-Kee, Bookseller Who Became Hero Of Hong Kong Resistance, Has Died At 70
“Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller who became a symbol of resistance to Beijing’s crackdown on speech freedom after he was seized by Chinese authorities in late 2015, has died in Taiwan. … Lam was one of five people affiliated with Causeway Bay Books who disappeared in late 2015.” – AP
- Here Are The Books All Students In Texas Schools Will Be Required To Read
“(The state) is doing something unusual, attempting to create a common canon of books that all students statewide will be required to read. The list was approved last month by the Republican-led Texas State Board of Education and is in the process of being finalized. It will take effect starting in 2030.” – The New York Times
- Chief Executive Officer, Organ Historical Society
The Organ Historical Society welcomes nominations and applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer, available in September 2026.
Organ Historical Society
www.organhistoricalsociety.orgNow celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its founding, the Organ Historical Society (OHS) enriches public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the pipe organ and its place in history and culture.
OHS began in 1956 with an impromptu meeting of young organ enthusiasts who shared an interest in locating historic pipe organs in New York City. Membership has since grown to include an international roster of musicians, organ builders, historians, scholars, and music lovers. The founders of OHS aspired to visit extant American “tracker” organs, create a comprehensive list with specifications, and share information with interested organ scholars. OHS has far exceeded this aspiration in the decades since and has created an online database of pipe organs with more than 60,000 entries; an historic organ citation program that has recognized more than 400 instruments; the world’s largest collection of pipe organ-related archives, books, journals, pamphlets, and other ephemera; publications including a quarterly journal and award-winning scholarly books on the pipe organ; and an online store with organ-related books, CDs, videos, and sheet music. Members and organ enthusiasts gather annually for conventions in cities across North America where they explore, study, and listen to the community’s most interesting historic instruments. OHS nurtures the next generation of organ performers, researchers, and builders through its annual E. Power Biggs Fellowship.
In 2017, with generous support from Wyncote Foundation, OHS moved its headquarters to Stoneleigh, a historic mansion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, located on a 40-acre property managed by the Natural Lands Trust. The OHS Library and Archives, a world-renowned research collection, is housed in state-of-the-art facilities at Stoneleigh. An historic Aeolian-Skinner organ, Opus 878, the centerpiece of the OHS headquarters building, allows OHS to present public performances as well.
OHS is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer oversees a staff of eight full- and part-time employees. The OHS manages endowed funds of $4 million; the FY 26 operating budget is $700,000.
The Opportunity
The next Chief Executive Officer will take the helm of a healthy organization that is well-positioned for growth both organizationally and financially. The CEO will have the opportunity to build on the strength and success of existing OHS programs and lead the organization toward demonstrable strategic growth, institutional strengthening, and renewed membership engagement. The next CEO will expand OHS’s reach, deepen its impact, and ensure its long-term sustainability.
The Position
The Chief Executive Officer ensures that OHS realizes its vision, fulfills its mission, and achieves its goals for financial, organizational, and programmatic success. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible and accountable for all aspects of OHS’s operations, including: strategic planning; program development and management; fundraising; membership development; member satisfaction; financial management; communications and marketing; publications; public relations; educational programs and activities; human resource management; community and local government relations; and advocacy.
Working closely with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads OHS’s strategic planning process to clarify priorities, align programs with member values, and ensure that resources are used wisely and effectively. The CEO works with the Board to refine governance practices to ensure that OHS’s structure supports its mission, strategic goals, and future growth. The CEO ensures effective communication across all channels, especially with OHS’s membership, to maintain a strong public relations and media presence across multiple platforms. The CEO recruits, motivates, mentors, and evaluates an effective professional staff within a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and collaboration.
The CEO serves as the chief fundraiser for OHS. The CEO develops and implements multi-year fundraising strategies designed to increase annual giving, develop special project support, and achieve significant expansion of OHS’s endowment. Working with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and provide excellent stewardship of gifts from individuals, government, and private foundations.
The CEO develops and implements a plan to increase and diversify OHS’s membership to include opportunities for organ professionals and enthusiasts of all ages from their student days, throughout their careers, and on through retirement. The CEO leads the development of a revitalized educational program at Stoneleigh and in partnership with schools, universities, and cultural institutions throughout North America. The CEO develops professional convenings and national conferences that engage members and provide valuable professional growth opportunities for all participants.
The CEO of OHS is an active participant in the Villanova and greater Philadelphia arts, culture, and conservation community, representing OHS and encouraging interest and support from local residents.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be a proven leader with the ability to embrace and articulate the vision, mission, and goals of the Organ Historical Society with clarity and conviction. The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of music and musical instruments, and enthusiasm for learning about the history and development of the pipe organ. Experience as an organ builder or an organist, while not required, will be seen as an asset, as will successful experience leading a nonprofit membership organization.
The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with the vision to chart future directions, recognize opportunities, forge consensus, and harness the energies of diverse constituencies to accomplish common goals. The candidate will be a good listener with excellent interpersonal skills. The candidate will have a track record for encouraging participation of various constituents in planning and decision-making in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic fundraiser with the proven ability to achieve and exceed goals for philanthropic support and the willingness to devote substantial time and effort to fundraising. The candidate will have experience in all aspects of fundraising, including annual giving, special events, planned giving, capital and endowment campaigns, and grant writing. The successful candidate will have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
The successful candidate will be an experienced manager with the demonstrated ability to set expectations and assure both financial and operational accountability throughout the organization. The successful candidate will be experienced in working with an active and engaged volunteer Board of Directors. The candidate will be skilled in promoting effective governance and utilizing the talents of Board members to the maximum benefit of OHS. The candidate will lead staff in an environment that fosters creativity, transparency, a commitment to excellence, and teamwork. The candidate will be able to innovate, manage change, move an agenda forward, and resolve conflict.
The successful candidate will have an engaging public personality and presence, high energy, and excellent public speaking and listening skills. The candidate will have the ability to relate and interact effectively with stakeholders who represent a broad diversity in age, education, gender, and socio-economic status. The successful candidate will be kind, creative, curious, and flexible. The candidate will bring at least ten years’ senior executive leadership experience and will possess common sense, sound judgment, and good humor in abundance.
Compensation
OHS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000; the benefits package includes paid vacation and sick leave and funding for health insurance and a retirement program.
Applications
OHS welcomes recommendations, nominations, and applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, or marital status, or any other basis protected by law. Candidates must be authorized to work legally in the United States.
Please submit a resumé along with a cover letter that describes your specific interest in the mission and work of OHS and your qualifications for the position as described in the candidate profile. On a separate sheet, provide the names and contact information for several professional references. All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement.
Electronic submissions are requested. Please send to:
President and CEO – Organ Historical Society
c/o Catherine French Group
applications@catherinefrenchgroup.com(Adobe Acrobat PDF attachments only, please)
- Culture’s Business Models, Both on Trial
Good Morning,
The French are fighting for their cultural model in the street: an estimated 1,800 people protested arts funding cuts in front of Avignon’s Papal Palace, turning the festival into a month-long argument over what the state owes its artists (The New York Times). America had that argument 35 years ago, and The New Yorker revisits how it got ignited — an NEA chairman who believed in artistic freedom, flip-flopping between his principles and his politics. The most durable American answer turns out to be local: Cleveland just ranked first among ten U.S. cities for arts-organization revenue growth, on the strength of Cuyahoga County’s public funding (Ideastream).
The market model is hitting its ceiling at the same time. Artnet asks whether the mega-gallery era was the art world’s march on Moscow, and the auction houses’ half-year reports read less like art sales than financial-services prospectuses — a significant shift in the business model (ARTnews). The counterintuitive retail lesson comes from Costco, thriving as the anti-Amazon by selling less choice, not more (The Walrus).
And the World Cup staged its first-ever halftime show. “Well, that happened” is a review (The New York Times).
All of our stories below.
THEATRE
VISUAL
- Why Costco Is Thriving As The Antithesis Of Amazon
While most retailers today assume that consumers want ever greater assortment, Costco’s popularity speaks to a countervailing desire for less choice. Indeed, the pre-selection of items for sale in their warehouses is part of the value proposition. – The Walrus
- A Short History Of Being Burned Out
Burnout’s meaning shifted from literal to figurative over time. It began as a description of candles burning out or fuel being used up, then shifted to a barn burning down and a worker’s energy or body being depleted in the rebuilding. Eventually it came to simply describe a worker’s exhaustion. – The Conversation
- Why Is Everything Weird? Blame The Uni-Context
How do all other norms—our morals, our ethics, our sense of what is good for us and for others—change when we continually imagine ourselves to be living in a universal room with everybody else? – Derek Thompson
- How Indigenous Communities In Brazil Are Dealing With Threats From The Internet
Using Nhandeflix, “users can find Guarani cultural productions like Roda Cutia (a Guarani children’s song), Bicicletas de Nhanderú (a documentary about a Guarani-Mbya town in southern Brazil), … and Como a noite apareceu (a fictional film based on a Guarani legend).” – El País English
- There’s A Big Plot Twist At The End Of The Odyssey
Don’t blame Homer for this one, and don’t read this story if you don’t want spoilers. – Slate