It’s expensive, lazy, and a process rife with community red flags. But at least there are no money-back guarantees. Let me start by saying that I was headhunted several times for jobs and thought it was a dandy idea. I was egotistical, dumb, and thought that nonprofit arts jobs — even leadership positions — had a shelf life of about three years. I was also experienced, … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Companies: Beware the Allure of the Headhunter
Arts and Culture
Consequences — If They Cut Funding, You Go Nuclear (or Go Home)
It’s a game of chicken. If your arts organization yields, everyone loses. Gerrymandering has been in the news of late. It’s a word I didn’t know until my eighth-grade history teacher, Mr. Ubick, gave us all a list of dangerous yet goofy-sounding political terms and phrases. “Gerrymandering” was at the top of a list that included “jingoism,” “filibuster,” “pork-barrel,” … [Read more...] about Consequences — If They Cut Funding, You Go Nuclear (or Go Home)
A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time
As Kate Larsen so brilliantly puts it, a strategic planning session is not the same thing as a strategic plan session. I’ve contributed to them. I’ve written them. I’ve defended them. And more than once, I’ve been burned by them. But still, it’s always the first thing every board chair tells every consultant that their company really needs one. A strategic … [Read more...] about A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time
Arts Organizations: Laughing, Yelling, Insanity, and You
Nonprofit arts organizations are dropping like flies. Got a problem with that? You’re 12. You’re at the park, sitting under a tree, drinking cola out of a can. A wasp buzzes toward you. You get a little startled, but you get up and walk over to a nearby bench, swatting at the air to make sure the wasp doesn’t follow you. The wasp seems curious about your sugary drink, … [Read more...] about Arts Organizations: Laughing, Yelling, Insanity, and You
For Nonprofit Arts Organizations, It’s August and the Fan Is Clogged with S**t
Big protests about the war and immigration, but the arts? Just a little Monday night shindig. Before that, a subtle announcement. In early 2024, we laid out the problem and gave you a path. In late 2024, we gave you discussion prompts and rules to help you figure out the answers on your own. And now, in late 2025, we show you that not only can success happen when you … [Read more...] about For Nonprofit Arts Organizations, It’s August and the Fan Is Clogged with S**t