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Scene Change

Arts are essential. Your nonprofit is not.

Board of Directors

“Hope for the Best. Expect the Worst.”

April 22, 2025 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

You need to find a way to justify your worth to your community — and at the same time, prepare for bad news, too. The buzz inside your nonprofit arts organization is louder than outside the walls. Much louder. As in, if someone is not completely tuned in to what’s going on at your particular arts organization — either your performances or your impact — they’re just … [Read more...] about “Hope for the Best. Expect the Worst.”

Advocacy for the Nonprofit Arts Sector is Currently Meaningless

April 8, 2025 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Lost amid a string of inside-baseball phrases and ideologies, officials have little idea as to why they would possibly fund institutions that serve themselves first. Hey guys? You forgot something. Yes, I know we’re supposed to write, call, and send emails to our congresspeople. Yes, I know we’re supposed to learn all the economic impact reports. Yes, I know … [Read more...] about Advocacy for the Nonprofit Arts Sector is Currently Meaningless

A Case for Support: Forklift Danceworks Uses the Art of Dance to Tell the Stories of Real, Essential Workers

April 1, 2025 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Studs Terkel would have been proud of this remarkably impactful nonprofit arts organization. My favorite book about America is Working by Studs Terkel. In it, Terkel takes months to interview regular working people (and unemployed and retired people) in hundreds of jobs. They discuss what they do and what they get out of it. Their stories are familiar, unfamiliar, … [Read more...] about A Case for Support: Forklift Danceworks Uses the Art of Dance to Tell the Stories of Real, Essential Workers

Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 6 — Don’t Talk About It; Do It.

March 25, 2025 by Alan Harrison 2 Comments

Doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. It’s right there in the phrase. In the new/old world order of Trumpian policy, your arts organization faces the real possibility that, in the face of anti-arts, anti-education, and anti-truth political muckraking euphemistically calling itself “populism,” it will be shut down. The most intelligent thing your nonprofit … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 6 — Don’t Talk About It; Do It.

Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 5 — You Can’t Do It Alone

March 18, 2025 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

The work to deprogram cultish minds is dangerous. Get help. Lots of it. In the new/old world order of Trumpian policy, your arts organization faces the real possibility that, in the face of anti-arts, anti-education, and anti-truth political muckraking euphemistically calling itself “populism,” it will be shut down. To combat that, we’ve talked about: The most … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 5 — You Can’t Do It Alone

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About Scene Change

As a brilliant follow-up to SCENE CHANGE, the book that rocked the nonprofit arts industry in America, Alan Harrison takes you deeper into how board members can zealously advocate for their organizations, while at the same time putting checks on all the factors that get in the way of greatness. … [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" and “Scene Change 2: The Five REAL Responsibilities of Nonprofit Arts … [MORE] about About Alan Harrison

Recent Posts

  • SUMMER RERUN: What Would a Post-NEA (Arts) America Look Like?
  • Just a Reminder — June 30 Is Only Meaningful to You
  • No. Just No.
  • I’m Not Angry. I’m Batman.
  • What Was That? Your Arts Organization Needs Funding? Get In Line.

Recent Comments

  1. Benjamin Lemon on SUMMER RERUN: What Would a Post-NEA (Arts) America Look Like?
  2. Tom Tresser on No. Just No.
  3. Alan Harrison on Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 6 — Don’t Talk About It; Do It.
  4. Joyce Linehan on Nonprofit Arts Success in a Changing Environment, Tip 6 — Don’t Talk About It; Do It.
  5. Trevor O’Donnell on “Duck and Cover” — Is That Your Motto for the Next 46 Months?

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