{"id":6066,"date":"2020-10-07T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/?p=6066"},"modified":"2020-09-25T13:06:51","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T17:06:51","slug":"viability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2020\/10\/viability\/","title":{"rendered":"Viability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/PalmTreesInWind-500x160.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6069\" width=\"575\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/PalmTreesInWind-500x160.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/PalmTreesInWind-300x96.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/PalmTreesInWind.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">For years, my work has been built on three simple premises. First, the combination of skyrocketing costs and rapidly withering traditional arts funding represents an unavoidable, near-term, existential crisis for arts organizations. Second, the only path to viability is a dramatic increase of arts organizations&#8217; reach\u2013the pool of people who could realistically become arts supporters. Third, the means to that end is the development of trusting, mutually beneficial relationships between arts organizations and many, many new communities. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.artsengaged.com\">ArtsEngaged<\/a><sup>\u00ae<\/sup> and this blog call that process &#8220;community engagement.&#8221; The work itself has focused on the frustrating but often still necessary effort to convince people of the first two and providing &#8220;how to&#8221; guidance for the third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">[<em>Important note, Captain Obvious: The &#8220;hell-in-a-handbasket&#8221; reality in which we live today represents issues far more important than anything discussed in this blog. Yet the arts and community engagement is my portfolio, so I&#8217;ll soldier on.<\/em>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify\">Unfortunately, the pandemic has made the existential crisis immediate for many arts organizations. Recently, Nonprofit Quarterly published an article, <a href=\"http:\/\/In 2020, Arts Nonprofits Have a Choice: Connect to Community or Go Under\">&#8220;In 2020, Arts Nonprofits Have a Choice: Connect to Community or Go Under<\/a>&#8220;, making the case for our second and third premises. Here are some highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>[T]he secret [to viability] is to <strong>create financial stability through offering mission-driven programming that draws in broad swaths of the local community<\/strong>. <\/li><li><strong>The key is &#8220;for organizations to integrate with their local communities <\/strong>in a way that builds loyalty and ensures financial security, <strong>giving organizations the stability they need to change with the times.<\/strong>&#8220;<\/li><li>The Children\u2019s Chorus of Greater Dallas worked with local groups:&nbsp;\u201c{The] partnerships not only created a sense of trust and loyalty between the chorus and the partner organizations, they also exposed new people to the chorus and invited them to take part. This kind of relationship-building is key to audience development\u2014and <strong>making sure that your pool of potential constituents is ever-growing is key to organizational survival<\/strong>.&#8221; <\/li><li>The &#8220;practice of <strong>relationship-building<\/strong>\u2014paired with delivering programming that communities care about and see themselves reflected in\u2014can be a win-win for the organization and its neighbors. Such <strong>efforts don\u2019t just generate revenue, they create long-lasting trust that can turn first-time attendees into stakeholders.<\/strong>&#8221; <\/li><li>&#8220;The hopeful news for these organizations is that&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.giarts.org\/racial-equity-arts-funding-statement-purpose\">funders are beginning to appreciate<\/a>&nbsp;this pivot to community-oriented programming and award grants to projects that make connections between organizations and their communities, especially underserved populations. <strong>Arts and culture organizations that can learn to grow their audiences and leverage these connections into long-term financial stability may learn that a successful pivot is often one that turns toward their neighbors<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen NPQ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engage!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doug<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/licensebuttons.net\/l\/by\/3.0\/88x31.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/\">Some rights reserved<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/tomsaint\/\">Rennett Stowe<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From Nonprofit Quarterly: Arts organizations that can learn to leverage community connections into long-term financial stability may learn that a successful pivot is often one that turns toward their neighbors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Viability: The key is \"for [arts] organizations to integrate with their local communities . . . [for] the stability they need to change with the times.\" h\/t @TheNonprofitQuarterly\n","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[12,78,39,80],"class_list":{"0":"post-6066","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-principles","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-comm","10":"tag-relationships","11":"tag-viability","12":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/PalmTreesInWind.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1G6h9-1zQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5705,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2019\/10\/donor-myopia\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":0},"title":"Donor Myopia","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"October 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"As the large-donor business model is breaking down the lack of experience in working with communities is going to be a serious impediment to long-term viability.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Overview&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Myopia.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4616,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2016\/07\/responding-to-pain\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":1},"title":"Responding to Pain","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"July 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Communities are hurting. What is your arts organization doing in response?","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Principles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Principles","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/principles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/DramaMasks-Tears.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5720,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2019\/10\/mission-creep\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":2},"title":"Mission Creep??!!","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"October 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"If connecting people with the arts represents \"mission creep\" for your organization, your organization needs to seriously re-examine it's mission.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Overview&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Mission.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6252,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2021\/01\/connect\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":3},"title":"Connect","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"January 13, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The viability of our industry depends upon developing relationships\u2013making connections\u2013with many new communities. The bases for success are respect and humility.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Overview&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Connect.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3720,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2014\/07\/community-engagement-%e2%89%a0-charity\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":4},"title":"Community Engagement \u2260 Charity","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"July 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A couple of weeks ago my blogging buddy Trevor O'Donnell posted one of his parting essays, \"Community Engagement is a Lousy Way to Sell\u00a0Tickets.\" [Disclosure: we had been corresponding on the subject in the days ahead of that post.] In it he highlights the fact that community engagement does not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Overview&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"090806-N-6220J-004","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SoupKitchen-e1404330931502.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5516,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2019\/01\/existential-threats\/","url_meta":{"origin":6066,"position":5},"title":"Existential Threats","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"January 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Economic viability or cultural justice. Which is the more important rationale for community engagement? Doesn't matter. Both demand deep, meaningful connections with new communities.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Overview&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ExistentialThreat.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6066"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6073,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6066\/revisions\/6073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}