{"id":2479,"date":"2017-01-26T20:53:46","date_gmt":"2017-01-27T03:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/audience\/?p=2479"},"modified":"2017-01-26T22:20:32","modified_gmt":"2017-01-27T05:20:32","slug":"can-you-be-optimistic-for-just-90-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/audience\/2017\/01\/can-you-be-optimistic-for-just-90-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you be Optimistic for just 90 Minutes?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"How will the world be different in 5 years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That’s the question I’ll ask leaders of arts & cultural organizations in a series of FutureCast<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0exercises I’ll be facilitating around the country starting next month.* \u00a0 \u00a0When the program was conceived last Spring, its intention felt timely, refreshing, and productive – to study the trajectories of demographics, technology, and the economy (and more!) and imagine the exciting opportunities ahead for the arts & cultural organizations that anticipate them.<\/p>\n

*It’s not too late! \u00a0Contact me<\/a> if you’re interested in hosting a FutureCast in your community!<\/em><\/p>\n

Today, I asked my Facebook friends to answer that question – and asked for replies without cynicism. \u00a0Among the responses:<\/p>\n

Not a good time to ask. Try again in 90 days, when we have some idea of how much of the news out of DC is durable. <\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ve sworn off predicting the future. We’ll see it when it gets here. P.S. That’s not the same thing as giving up on fighting for the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It all depends on what we do today. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Understandable. \u00a0Many feel\u00a0lost in a fog – driving slowly and warily, barely able to see the road ahead – no idea how long this will last yet fearful of stopping for the danger of what may be approaching from behind.<\/p>\n

How do we relax to consider the future, when the present feels so treacherous?<\/p>\n

I really don’t know. \u00a0I don’t have that answer.<\/p>\n

But just as they say in sports that “the best defense is a good offense”<\/strong> <\/em>I have to believe that the foundation of progress is a healthy attitude and a compelling imagination.<\/p>\n

So, the show will go on.<\/strong>\u00a0 My responsibility will be to help arts & cultural leaders pause their worries and cynicism for just 90 minutes – long enough to restore mindfulness and purposefulness to the opportunities ahead – and also long enough to recall that it is the nature of arts and cultural experience to inspire the best in humanity.<\/p>\n

Our goal is worthwhile. \u00a0It’s time to get to work.<\/p>\n

As Shakespeare wrote, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And if you need a little musical pick-me-up:<\/p>\n