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Scene Change

Arts are essential. Your nonprofit is not.

Impact

Breaking Free of Your Longtime Role Is Hard. But It’s the Key to Progress.

October 22, 2024 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Just look at the US presidential election... and US nonprofit arts organizations. We have established roles for ourselves. We can’t help it. “In human life, social roles are ubiquitous. Historically, social and personality psychologists sought to understand the relation between social roles and psychological functioning. Contemporary social and personality … [Read more...] about Breaking Free of Your Longtime Role Is Hard. But It’s the Key to Progress.

Why Do Donors Ask for Irrelevant Data?

October 15, 2024 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Could it be that you never talked to them about your nonprofit’s charitable goals and how they mesh with the donor’s? Whose fault is that? A few weeks ago, I participated in a discussion about the arts and measuring impact in the community. As every other author does, I believed that the message that the arts are not a tax-exempt activity had been spread far and wide among … [Read more...] about Why Do Donors Ask for Irrelevant Data?

How Does Your Nonprofit Arts Organization Use History to Tangibly Make Things Better?

October 1, 2024 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

Presenting art is not enough, at least if you’re running a nonprofit. Something has to be done or else the opportunity is lost forever. I was watching the 1953 version of War of the Worlds recently and it struck me that as time passes, the perspective on this particular story changes wildly. Secondly, and more importantly for the nonprofit arts industry, those perspective … [Read more...] about How Does Your Nonprofit Arts Organization Use History to Tangibly Make Things Better?

Scene Change 2 Now Available for Preorder

September 3, 2024 by Alan Harrison 1 Comment

Assuming that your board has no clear sense of why they’re representing their nonprofit arts organization’s work, there’s a handbook for that. The first essay of the school year is usually some throwaway set of paragraphs entitled, “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.” This is kinda that. I’ve been exceptionally busy over the last month doing podcasts, interviews, and signings … [Read more...] about Scene Change 2 Now Available for Preorder

Last of the Summer Whine

July 23, 2024 by Alan Harrison Leave a Comment

The seven attributes of a successful nonprofit arts organization. You gotta do all seven to win. Before I take off for a month, I thought I’d let you in on the secret to success for nonprofit arts organizations. Note how “raising money” is not among the things on the list. That’s a business practice, not an attribute of success. Of course you’ll have to raise money! That … [Read more...] about Last of the Summer Whine

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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" and “Scene Change 2: The Five REAL Responsibilities of Nonprofit Arts … [MORE] about About Alan Harrison

Recent Posts

  • SUMMER RERUN: Advocacy for the Nonprofit Arts Sector is Currently Meaningless
  • SUMMER RERUN: Art Doesn’t Need to Be Served. People Do.
  • SUMMER RERUN: “The Planet Will Be Fine. It’s the People Who Will Be F**ked.” — George Carlin
  • SUMMER RERUN: The Con Is On – Raising Emergency Money at the Expense of Everyone Else Is Not a Heroic Act
  • SUMMER RERUN: What Would a Post-NEA (Arts) America Look Like?

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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