Last Thursday when I came home from work, followed by a two-mile run and high intensity circuit workout, I was not in the mood to make the chickpea turmeric soup I had planned to whip up for us to eat that night. It was the middle of the week. The dark, winter days were getting to me. I was not prepared to spend an hour of my evening in the kitchen when the couch and my book were looking at me, calling my name. To paint the picture more clearly, I ritually cook a meal from scratch every night of the week. I simmer sauces. I roast vegetables. … [Read more...]
Art Spaces as Places for Community Engagement
This week, we're sharing reflections on the Summit at Sundance process and on the ideas leaders in the Chief Executive Program: Community and Culture worked on during this Summit last month. We encourage you to add your voice, questions and experiences to the conversation, and to use the information and conversations to inform action! In this post, Daniel Gorman (Shubbak Festival), Cristy Johnston Límon (Destiny Arts Center) and Carol Varney (Bay Area Video Coalition) share their ideas on how they might use their spaces to heighten community … [Read more...]
We’re Better Together
HowlRound is a commons by and for theatremakers. No one owns a commons, it exists for the benefit of all, and the role HowlRound plays is not one of curator, but rather of steward, of enabler. We believe in operating from a place of abundance, rather than scarcity. We believe that there is enough for everyone, and promote collaboration over competition. All HowlRound platforms and programs (an online journal, livestreaming television channel, interactive data map, in person convenings, etc.) are designed to create openness, … [Read more...]
The Commons
Growing up, the public library was a place that allowed Polly Carl, Director & Editor of HowlRound: A Center for the Theater Commons, to find belonging and access imagination. This introduction to a commons model is something that s/he's continued to carry and that influences all that s/he brings as a leader to the organization. The commons model is all about inclusivity. Carl honors and encourages this through her/his work at HowlRound. Inclusivity is so engrained in the organization, Carl says that the staff must have buy-in to this … [Read more...]
Taking Down the Hedges
Respect. Access. Inclusion. Transparency. Authenticity. These are the values held deeply by Hope McMath, Executive Director of the Cummer Museum of Art + Gardens. McMath shares how these values are part of the decisions she makes both internally at the museum, through hiring and organizational culture, as well as externally in the community. She tells the story of literally taking down the hedges that surround the museum and what physical and symbolic meaning a row of bushes can have. … [Read more...]
The Definition Game
As leaders of organizations, it is essential that we not only uphold the values of our organizations, but also believe in them. Sandra Cha, an assistant professor at McGill University, and Amy Edmondson, of Harvard Business School conducted and in-depth survey of organizational values at an up and coming advertising agency. The result: employees felt the CEO was acting hypocritically through his actions even though he talked the talk of organizational core values. This view essentially resulted in the employee’s variance of interpretation on … [Read more...]
Organization Spotlight: Springboard for the Arts
One of the reasons Springboard for the Arts is able to take on and implement large scale projects with their small team is through leveraging their staff. The staff lives and breathes seven principles: We view artists as vital contributors to their communities. Our programs are delivered by artists to artists. Our capacity to build relationships is the basis of our effectiveness. We emphasize building systems of investment and support. We develop cross-sector collaborations. We operate with a sense of transformational … [Read more...]
Values and What We Do
It’s pretty easy to identify the values of a cultural organization or initiative. Most mention them somewhere on their website, if not have an entire web section dedicated to this. We talk about values often, too. Inclusivity, equity, excellence are all frequently discussed at our conferences. Values are important to identify and certainly important to name, discuss and debate. It’s helpful for potential stakeholders to know what you stand for and for the world to know what we stand for, as a field. But I’m less interested in talking … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Day Conversation in Decatur, GA
Today is Arts Advocacy Day, but for working artists it can feel like every day is arts advocacy day as we continually make the case in each of our communities to support the arts. I consider myself fortunate that I inhabit two worlds - local government as a Planning Director and the performing arts as a choreographer. It surprises me that I spend a large amount of time in both worlds simply trying to engage the community to participate. Whether a transportation planning project or a dance concert I’m often jumping up and down saying, “Hey! Stop … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Salt Lake City, UT
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts represents an arts institution that sits within and reports to an institution run by folks outside the field - The University of Utah. A staff member of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts speaks with University President, David Pershing on he views and values the arts. When I say “the arts,” what does that mean to you? The term, “the arts,” symbolizes to me all that is stimulating to the sense in a profound way in the performing arts – from beautiful music (a single voice or a choir, or a single instrument or an … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Day Conversation in Hartford, CT
Kristina Newman-Scott, Director of Marketing, Events and Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford, Connecticut asks her colleagues Brian Matthews, Director of Housing for the City of Hartford and Khara Dodds, Director of Planning for the City of Hartford how they see, value and advocate for the arts. Listen to their conversations below and share what you heard from colleagues outside of the arts. [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/90218204" … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Thayer, MO
Founder of the Oregon County Food Producers and Artisans Co-Op, Rachel Reynolds Luster poses the three simple questions to a member of her Thayer, MO community. Elizabeth, 16 years old: When I say “the arts,” what does that mean to you? "music, dancing, acting" Where do you see arts in your community? "I don't." Tell me about a moment you connected with arts personally. “Learning to clog dance at Marilynn's Clogging Studio and play guitar.” Advocate for the Arts! Click on the Twitter logo to … [Read more...]
An Arts Advocacy Conversation in Lynchburg, VA
I spoke with Anna Bentson, the Assistant Director of the City of Lynchburg's Office of Economic Development, about how she views and values art. What most struck me is that her early childhood contact with art and artists was through her family and in turn that has influenced how she values and views art in her life today. Her relationship to art is personal and I think this gets to the core of a very valuable lesson. Anna's family was filled with musicians. She said, "My grandparents were musicians (actually from a long line of professional … [Read more...]
Keep Talking About What Art Means
When I say, "the arts" what does that mean to you? Where do you see arts in your community? Tell me about a moment you connected with the arts. Last week I challenged you to go out and ask folks in your community these three questions. We've already gotten a handful of responses. I even saw some folks sharing what their responses on social media. My manicurist April told me she has no time 4 art because she's busy creating costumes for an angel themed hair show #thatsart #NASadvocacy — Sunny Widmann (@sunnywidmann) March 21, 2015 (Thanks, … [Read more...]
Failure or Success: What are we more afraid of? A Leading Innovation in Arts & Culture Conversation
We’ve just wrapped our first Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) Leading Innovation in Arts and Culture. This unique course was created by Dave Owens at Vanderbilt University and customized for the arts and culture sector by National Arts Strategies. This eight-week course, offered on the Coursera platform, brought more than 9,000 artists, arts administrators and cultural entrepreneurs from around the world together to discuss the specific constraints to creating good ideas in our field and to build strategies for successful innovation. This … [Read more...]