Naples, Fla., and Milwaukee are quite different, but have one thing in common: They are home to regional arts elephants that are thriving. America’s regional elephants are facing difficult times. But not all of them are struggling. Some are booming. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee Repertory Elephants (The Phant) has finished the first phase of an $80 million renovation of its … [Read more...] about As Regional Arts Elephants Struggle, Some Defy the Odds
Board of Trustees
It’s 2026. Oy. Is the Nonprofit Arts Sector in America Any Healthier?
Or is it like “climate change?” Is it too late to repair it? Oy. The next generation of arts leaders deserve better than what we’re giving them. I have been lecturing (really, just talking) to college classes of arts administrators of late, many of whose professors have put the Scene Change trilogy on their curriculum list. I find that decision hilarious because I … [Read more...] about It’s 2026. Oy. Is the Nonprofit Arts Sector in America Any Healthier?
“SCENE CHANGE 3” Just Named to Kirkus Reviews’ “25 Best Indies of 2025!”
If you're serious about succeeding as a nonprofit arts organization, you're going to want to pick up the trilogy by going to scenechangebook.com or your favorite bookstore. Happy new year, folks. I just wanted you to know that the final book in the Scene Change trilogy has been getting fantastic reviews and offers success stories in the midst of this calamitous financial … [Read more...] about “SCENE CHANGE 3” Just Named to Kirkus Reviews’ “25 Best Indies of 2025!”
Dear “The Ground We Stand On,” — A Letter to BIPOC Artists
On June 8, 2020, a letter was sent and signed by 300 artists who were Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). It has since been signed by over 100,000 people. After 5 years, the report card shows a failing grade. On May 25, 2020, as COVID-19 was killing millions of people all over the world, one Black man in Minneapolis was killed by a not-all-that-rogue police … [Read more...] about Dear “The Ground We Stand On,” — A Letter to BIPOC Artists
When Doctors Prescribe the Arts as Treatment, Nonprofit Arts Organizations (At Long Last) Prove Their Worth
Unless, of course, they muck it up by asking for money. “Musick has Charms to soothe the savage BreastTo soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak”― William Congreve, “The Mourning Bride" There seems to be some truth to that, and nonprofit arts organizations could prove worth (and increase their charitable value to their communities) by following specific medical advice … [Read more...] about When Doctors Prescribe the Arts as Treatment, Nonprofit Arts Organizations (At Long Last) Prove Their Worth