The easiest explanations tend to be the right ones. I’m surprised that anyone in the nonprofit arts sector has any skin left on their hands with all the wringing that’s been happening in the industry about the loss of audience, money, and favor. Every article on the nonprofit arts seems to be the announcement of a death knell, a merger, slashed budgets, layoffs, … [Read more...] about Why Are American Nonprofit Arts Organizations Failing? It’s Not as Complicated as You Think.
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Loneliness and the Arts: If Bringing People Together is the Cure, What is the Disease?
Finally, a damaging health issue that could be solved and mitigated by the nonprofit arts sector, but where are the data? What are the outcomes? And how did the organizations make the solutions permanent? Henry Jaglom died last month. He was a prolific director of weird, tiny, and personal movies. One of those movies, 1987’s Someone to Love, isn’t even mentioned in … [Read more...] about 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
$1 million of government funding rescinded? Big deal. When your nonprofit arts organization chooses to do the right thing, it’s an equation that works. If you cast your mind back, I’m sure you’ll remember this column from May 7, 2024: Nonprofit Arts Success: Out of Hand Theater Shakes the Trees of Social Justice. After all, it was only just under 500 days ago and not … [Read more...] about Out of Hand Theater is the Best Theater in America
“A PUNCHY, OUTSPOKEN ARGUMENT FOR HOW NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN.”
Pick up a copy of the Scene Change trilogy. Scene Change 3 just received its first review, and it's a doozy. You're going to want at least one for you and one for your board chair. An example-driven new map to success in the realm of nonprofit theater. “What good is a program without results that show impact?” asks theatrical director and producer Harrison, a 30-year … [Read more...] about “A PUNCHY, OUTSPOKEN ARGUMENT FOR HOW NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN.”
Nonprofit Arts Orgs: If Your Only Answer Is ‘Cut,’ You’re Asking the Wrong Question
So, what’s the right question? “See what the company looks like with a $6 million budget.” “Okay, but you know the income will take a beating, too.” “See what the company looks like with a $6 million budget.” These were some of the final words spoken to me by a board member at the then-$12 million Alabama Shakespeare Festival. After a whole bunch of years of … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Orgs: If Your Only Answer Is ‘Cut,’ You’re Asking the Wrong Question