{"id":1416,"date":"2025-08-05T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=1416"},"modified":"2025-07-15T00:28:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T00:28:27","slug":"for-nonprofit-arts-organizations-its-august-and-the-fan-is-clogged-with-st","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/08\/05\/for-nonprofit-arts-organizations-its-august-and-the-fan-is-clogged-with-st\/","title":{"rendered":"For Nonprofit Arts Organizations, It\u2019s August and the Fan Is Clogged with S**t"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Big protests about the war and immigration, but the arts? Just a little Monday night shindig. Before that, a subtle announcement.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Okay. Not so subtle. In fact, more than a little ungapatchka. That said, have you read the first two books yet? (This article \u00a9 2025 by Alan Harrison, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In early 2024, we laid out the problem<\/a> and gave you a path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late 2024, we gave you discussion prompts and rules<\/a> to help you figure out the answers on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now, in late 2025, we show you that not only can success happen when you choose to focus on your community before <\/em>you decide to focus on the art, but it has happened. It\u2019s happening at other organizations right now, despite everything coming out of Washington, DC.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 1, Changemakers Books will be publishing my third and last book on the subject of using your arts organization as a tool of charity (rather than as a tool to benefit your own donors). In SCENE CHANGE 3: THE ONES WHO GET IT<\/strong><\/a>, you’ll discover that there are, in fact, nonprofit arts organizations in America that fulfill their nonprofit charter by centering their community\u2019s needs over their own. In this book, you’ll discover nonprofit arts organizations that have saved people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literally. As in, some people would be dead without their intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this process, I studied organizations for about a year and embedded with two, each for about a month. I went to work with them, sat in on meetings (including board meetings), experienced the art as many times and in as many ways as he could, and met with local political officials and other arts leaders in their communities (to get a sense of the \u201carts-mosphere\u201d). I also interviewed as many audience participants as humanly possible, wherever they happened to be, painstakingly transcribing each interview, in order to understand the success of the organization and that relationship to their collective decision to thrive in their respective communities. It can be done. It has been done. And this book will give you some ideas on how to transform your nonprofit arts organization into an impact catalyst, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s available for pre-order right now and is selling for about $20 or so. Use the QR code in the blisteringly busy image or just visit this website: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3SZFIb0<\/a>. Do it before you decide to close down. Really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

So, the summer of discontent continues, made inglorious winter by this son of Drumpf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And still, no real response except the sound of\u2026 well\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Antoni Shkraba Studio on Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kennedy Center s**tshow continues unabated (Remember to find the poster for the next show by clicking on this sentence<\/a>), with little to no actual protesting. That is, no protesting except for the gay pride concert held on a Monday night in the Justice Forum<\/a>, a tiny meeting space within the complex. The event, called \u201cLove is Love,\u201d was sponsored by five Democratic senators and people probably had a great time. Whether it achieved its stated purpose of \u201creoccupying the Kennedy Center\u201d is doubtful, but it was at least something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are no plans for widespread striking of the box office or the area surrounding the Kennedy Center by Actors Equity Association or the other unions, even though the current chair of the joint has planned for union-busting non-union shows and country music to satisfy those in the thrall of the Trump cult. Where are you, Brooke Shields? Being president of the union is not an honorary post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
I think it\u2019s time to get out of the chair and onto the picket line, don\u2019t you? (“Brooke Shields (54337789981)” by Library of Congress Life is marked with CC0 1.0.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other news, the out-of-towners-grass-is-greener hiring process continues to poison major cities across the nation. Jennifer Bielstein, who is excellent at what she does, just left her almost half a million dollar a year position at San Francisco\u2019s American Conservatory Theatre (assets: $90,553,200 in June 2023) to move to Houston and do the same thing at the Alley Theatre (assets: $101,801,697 in June 2024), where the peripatetic Dean Gladden was making $100,000 more than that after \u201cresigning\u201d from the Cleveland Play House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treating large arts organizations like major league sports franchises is not what the folks who created charities had in mind. In fact, it tells the world that your city, for lack of a better word, sucks when it comes to talent. In community-based services, the executive director is responsible for the betterment of the city, unlike the manager of your local ballclub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer to that question is not for any of us to say. However, the missions of these once mighty companies couldn\u2019t be less charitable in nature. That tracks, of course, because they haven\u2019t been charitable companies that help their specific communities in decades. They\u2019re only art producers and, secondarily, teachers of artists. While that makes them eligible to be 501(C)(3) corporations, it doesn\u2019t really make them worthy of a donation of five cents. Here\u2019s what I mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Conservatory Theatre\u2019s mission, according to their own website<\/a>: \u201cA.C.T.\u2019s mission is to engage the spirit of the San Francisco Bay Area, activate stories that resonate, promote a diversity of voices and points of view, and empower theater makers and audiences to celebrate liveness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(\u201cCelebrate liveness?\u201d That\u2019s a new one on me.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Alley Theatre\u2019s mission, according to their<\/em> own website<\/a>, is \u201cto inspire and enchant lives through a variety of theatrical experiences at the highest level of artistic excellence with our Resident Acting Company at the center.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I\u2019m glad they\u2019re attempting to engage in the highest level of artistic excellence, rather than the highest level of artistic mediocrity or a so-so level of artistic excellence, aren\u2019t you?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, there is nothing in there to infer that the core of either mission can be found within the tenets of the IRS code<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3) are charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animals. The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erecting or maintaining public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; defending human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ay, there\u2019s the rub. (I know that\u2019s a different Shakespeare, but if the shoe fits and all that.) And so they move from one ridiculous prison\/castle to another, neither of which is anything but intimidating to anyone but those in the know (or the toxic rich, of which San Francisco and Houston have a whole bunch).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Prisons for the well-to-do. Indistinguishable from each other, don\u2019t you think? I wonder what the dungeons look like. (Photos by T Berning, CC BY-SA 3.0 and Rick Kimpel, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s enough news for the moment. It\u2019s hot and more s**t seems to hit that fan every minute of the day. Wait, what was that about the upcoming war\u2026?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Here they are. The trilogy is now complete. But even though they’re thick with ideas on how to make your nonprofit arts organization thrive in a world where no one believes they can (including board members, executives, and some artists), they’re meaningless unless you read them. Click on the covers to order them and choose your favorite independent bookstore so they can get a piece of the action.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
And, of course, if you’d like to support this kind of commentary, where prisoners are not taken, please consider feeding the caffeine kitty. Just click on the cup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where are you, Brooke Shields? Being president of the union is not an honorary post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20,100,40,32,23,24,19,18,17,99],"tags":[85,10],"class_list":{"0":"post-1416","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-board-of-directors","9":"category-book-recommendation","10":"category-change","11":"category-charity","12":"category-executive-director","13":"category-freedom-of-speech","14":"category-leadership","15":"category-nonprofit","16":"category-nonprofit-arts-organizations","17":"category-scene-change","18":"tag-community","19":"tag-impact","20":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-2.jpeg?fit=590%2C393&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":757,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/02\/13\/nonprofit-arts-organizations-you-missed-the-point-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":0},"title":"Nonprofit Arts Organizations: You Missed the Point. Again.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"February 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, you're a nonprofit. Big deal. Like tennis, if you don't serve well, it's your fault.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Tennis-ball-into-the-net.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1517,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/10\/07\/a-punchy-outspoken-argument-for-how-nonprofit-arts-organizations-should-be-run\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":1},"title":"“A PUNCHY, OUTSPOKEN ARGUMENT FOR HOW NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN.”","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"October 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\"An example-driven new map to success in the realm of nonprofit theater.\" \u2014 Kirkus Reviews.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scene Change, Scene Change 2, and Scene Change 3 - 3 books to improve your arts organization","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/3-book-titles.jpg?fit=1200%2C606&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":989,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/07\/01\/this-just-in-a-new-and-unedited-review-for-scene-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":2},"title":"This Just In: A New (and Unedited) Review for \u201cSCENE CHANGE\u201d","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"July 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"\"It clearly comes from a place of love for the subversive and utopian possibilities of the arts.\"","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Collective-Ink-Book-Cover.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":457,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/06\/20\/warning-the-following-column-was-completely-written-by-a-i-as-such-it-should-terrify-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":3},"title":"Warning: The Following Column Was Completely Written by A.I. As Such, It Should Terrify You.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"June 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"For my nonprofit arts colleagues worldwide who are agonizing over whether they might be replaced, be assured. You likely will.","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Enhanced-AI-typing.jpg?fit=1200%2C711&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":543,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/09\/19\/if-your-nonprofit-arts-organizations-audience-is-comprised-solely-of-ticket-buyers-you-missed-the-point-the-boat-and-your-chance\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":4},"title":"If Your Nonprofit Arts Organization\u2019s Audience Is Comprised Solely of Ticket Buyers, You Missed the Point, the Boat, and Your Chance","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"September 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you stuck by your audience? Are you stuck with your audience? Would you like to get unstuck?","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ripped-ticket1.jpg?fit=1100%2C648&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ripped-ticket1.jpg?fit=1100%2C648&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ripped-ticket1.jpg?fit=1100%2C648&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ripped-ticket1.jpg?fit=1100%2C648&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/ripped-ticket1.jpg?fit=1100%2C648&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1352,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/07\/25\/advocacy-for-the-nonprofit-arts-sector-is-currently-meaningless\/","url_meta":{"origin":1416,"position":5},"title":"SUMMER RERUN: Advocacy for the Nonprofit Arts Sector is Currently Meaningless","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Lost amid a string of inside-baseball phrases and ideologies, officials have little idea as to why they would possibly fund institutions that serve themselves first. It's easy to make the case for art. For artists. For charity. But for humongous nonprofit arts organizations that still can\u2019t figure out why funding\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Arts and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Arts and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/arts-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/mural-by-beastman-spotlight-sydenham-in-christchurch-canterbury1.jpg?fit=1000%2C467&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1416"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1445,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1416\/revisions\/1445"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}