Are nonprofit arts leaders simply more susceptible to groupthink, even to their own detriment? After years of listening to artists and watching the 120,000 nonprofit arts organizations across this country, one pattern is impossible to ignore: the loudest, wealthiest institutions — the ones that issued grand equity manifestos — are the same ones now sprinting back to … [Read more...] about Hello, Carol.
Nonprofit Arts Organizations
Seattle Center is Falling Apart: Notes from the East German Judge
“Seattle’s Living Room” requires a billion dollar renovation. Here’s a thought… I sat in on a convening of arts leaders from across the country recently and heard so much unfounded hope, you’d have thought it was a tent meeting. I heard participant after participant blather on about what they wished for in 20 years, rather than answering the question at hand, which was, … [Read more...] about Seattle Center is Falling Apart: Notes from the East German Judge
Born in the DSA*: The Worst Healthcare System in the World Needs an Upgrade
The DSA has been ranked as having the worst healthcare system in the civilized world, whatever “civilized” means. But it doesn’t have to be the worst, does it? Dead yet? According to the World Health Organization, the Commonwealth Fund, and even the generally conservative CEO World, the DSA ranks well below the mean on average age of death. Here’s a snapshot from the … [Read more...] about Born in the DSA*: The Worst Healthcare System in the World Needs an Upgrade
Story Time — A Fable for the Nonprofit Arts Sector
Doing the right thing isn’t easy. But it’s always the right thing to do. Right? In a great American city, there were five nonprofit theater companies. The leaders of all the companies knew each other well, but didn’t always get along. The oldest theater company, The Flagship, received the most annual funding, charged the most for tickets, had the largest staff, had … [Read more...] about Story Time — A Fable for the Nonprofit Arts Sector
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?