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.”
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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
Nonprofit Arts Leaders and Funders: What’s It Gonna Be? People or Buildings?
With the industry in a nationwide, existential crisis, leaders may have to choose one or the other. If so, the choice is easy. It’s 2025 and the nonprofit arts world is crumbling around us. In Seattle, ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) and Seattle Shakespeare are now part of the same company, a company that celebrates the 461-year-old Englishman performing the most … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Leaders and Funders: What’s It Gonna Be? People or Buildings?
Nonprofit Arts Companies: Beware the Allure of the Headhunter
It’s expensive, lazy, and a process rife with community red flags. But at least there are no money-back guarantees. Let me start by saying that I was headhunted several times for jobs and thought it was a dandy idea. I was egotistical, dumb, and thought that nonprofit arts jobs — even leadership positions — had a shelf life of about three years. I was also experienced, … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Companies: Beware the Allure of the Headhunter
A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time
As Kate Larsen so brilliantly puts it, a strategic planning session is not the same thing as a strategic plan session. I’ve contributed to them. I’ve written them. I’ve defended them. And more than once, I’ve been burned by them. But still, it’s always the first thing every board chair tells every consultant that their company really needs one. A strategic … [Read more...] about A Strategic Plan for Your Flailing Nonprofit Arts Organization Is Just a Waste of Time