• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • About Alan Harrison
    • About Scene Change
  • ArtsJournal
  • AJBlogs

Scene Change

Arts are essential. Your nonprofit is not.

Nonprofit

What Did You Talk About at Your First Nonprofit Arts Board Meeting Tonight?

February 7, 2023 by Alan Harrison 1 Comment

Robert's Rules of Order? The art? The revenue? The needs of the community? It’s the first Tuesday in February. Welcome to your first board meeting! It’s 7:00pm. You rushed home, had a quick dinner, and drove like a bat out of hell to get there at 6:55. Surprisingly, you’re among the first people there. You were unanimously elected to the board at the January … [Read more...] about What Did You Talk About at Your First Nonprofit Arts Board Meeting Tonight?

Nonprofit Arts Board Members: “Oughta” Just Won’t Cut It

January 31, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

You know what you really oughta do? Stop telling other people what they oughta do. “Oughta.” The “O” word. Board members are not consultants. They advise, to be sure, but a good board member does not see him- or herself as a consultant. Consultants are paid to tell the truth to the organization in order for the organization to thrive (although too many are paid to echo … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Board Members: “Oughta” Just Won’t Cut It

“Those People” – Does Your Arts Organization Understand Equity? Really?

January 24, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

I’ve never been a big fan of synopses—especially if the synopsis is lengthy and appears in a program for a play in modern English. I, as it happens, understand contemporary English very well as it is the language in which I speak, write, and think. Opera in Italian? Sure, why not. But a play in English for an English-speaking audience? Not a fan. But that doesn’t mean … [Read more...] about “Those People” – Does Your Arts Organization Understand Equity? Really?

Changing the Way Nonprofit Arts Organizations Do Business is Hard. Aw.

January 10, 2023 by Alan Harrison 2 Comments

No, you don’t get to mount that show you’ve always wanted to do. Artistic leaders with nonprofit organizations are notorious for wanting to do “that show” that no one has yet done well. Or do an exhibition of “that artist” whose work was never appreciated before they rediscovered it. Or that lost symphony by Whatshisname. On behalf of your community, the one you pledged … [Read more...] about Changing the Way Nonprofit Arts Organizations Do Business is Hard. Aw.

Protests, Marches, and the Nonprofit Arts Industry: How Change Happens Is Circumstantial

January 3, 2023 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

So, just change the circumstances. In this first article for 2023, let’s discuss how change happens. Real change. Decisive change. Permanent change. For better or worse. Change is essential to the betterment of the planet, continent, country, state, city, neighborhood, community. Without disequilibrium, we have stasis. And stasis is only good for those on the top of the … [Read more...] about Protests, Marches, and the Nonprofit Arts Industry: How Change Happens Is Circumstantial

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

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

  • 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?
  • Out of Hand Theater is the Best Theater in America

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.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in