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Scene Change

Arts are essential. Your nonprofit is not.

Board of Trustees

Yes, You Do Have to Show Your Nonprofit Tax Returns to Anyone Who Asks, No Matter What.

September 5, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Anyone. Without questions or delay. But you knew that already. Right? Money makes people nervous. Especially tax records. It is no different in the nonprofit arts world now as it was for Al Capone, who was finally imprisoned for tax evasion. I understand the notion of keeping your finances under wraps. But you can’t, both literally and strategically. Literally, you … [Read more...] about Yes, You Do Have to Show Your Nonprofit Tax Returns to Anyone Who Asks, No Matter What.

Nonprofit Arts Shared Leadership: The Buck Stops Over There. On That Desk.

August 1, 2023 by Alan Harrison 3 Comments

Leaders are not “plug-and-play.” And a multi-headed model just makes it worse. Maybe you remember 1980s American history. Likely you didn’t because, hey, you weren’t born yet. And nothing of note ever happened before you were born. There was a moment during the republican convention of 1980 when the people who managed the presumptive nominee, Ronald Reagan, were mulling … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Shared Leadership: The Buck Stops Over There. On That Desk.

Nonprofit Arts Organization Boards: An Epilogue

March 28, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

You don’t have to follow what others call “best practices” if it doesn’t work for your community If you are a nonprofit arts board member, you have a chance to build something great. And no, the best way is not to copy what your fellow arts organizations are doing. In fact, it might behoove you to look at other kinds of nonprofits that fit under the IRS guidelines. If … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Organization Boards: An Epilogue

What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s 6th Through ∞th Most Important Responsibilities?

March 21, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

After the first five, the rest will grow your skills in all you do All nonprofits are essentially scientific, social experiments in bettering our various lots in life. Including nonprofit arts organizations. The background of that experiment is this: there is a thing that needs to be done or else the community suffers. Private businesses can’t do it. The government … [Read more...] about What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s 6th Through ∞th Most Important Responsibilities?

What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s Fifth Most Important Responsibility?

March 14, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Now that you have the first four under your belt, here’s where the rubber meets the road. Okay, nonprofit arts board members, let’s go over this again. In order: And now, finally, #5. Advocate. Advocate zealously. In September 2020, we discussed the idea that board members are not ambassadors, regardless of what you may have heard. In fact, it was in the … [Read more...] about What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s Fifth Most Important Responsibility?

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About Scene Change

In early 2024, we laid out the problem and gave you a path. The result: SCENE CHANGE: WHY TODAY'S NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO STOP PRODUCING ART AND START PRODUCING IMPACT. In late 2024, we gave you discussion prompts and rules to help you figure out the answers on your own. The result: … [MORE] about About Scene Change

About Alan Harrison

Alan Harrison is a writer, father, performer, consultant, recovering artist, and the author of the industry best-seller "Scene Change: Why Today's Nonprofit Arts Organizations Have to Stop Producing Art and Start Producing Impact, “Scene Change 2: The Five REAL Responsibilities of Nonprofit Arts … [MORE] about About Alan Harrison

Recent Posts

  • The 2025, Final, Never-To-Be-Repeated, Carol for Nonprofit Arts Organizations
  • A.I. and the Arts — I Use It. No one cares. Should You?
  • Born in the DSA*: It’s Time to Sign a New Declaration of Independence
  • Why Are American Nonprofit Arts Organizations Failing? It’s Not as Complicated as You Think.
  • Loneliness and the Arts: If Bringing People Together is the Cure, What is the Disease?

Recent Comments

  1. HEIDI MUNZINGER on Born in the DSA*: It’s Time to Sign a New Declaration of Independence
  2. Richard Voorhaar (Minnesotan) on Born in the DSA*: It’s Time to Sign a New Declaration of Independence
  3. Alan Harrison on Why Are American Nonprofit Arts Organizations Failing? It’s Not as Complicated as You Think.
  4. Angela Meleca on Why Are American Nonprofit Arts Organizations Failing? It’s Not as Complicated as You Think.
  5. David E. Myers on Why Are American Nonprofit Arts Organizations Failing? It’s Not as Complicated as You Think.

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