{"id":903,"date":"2024-05-07T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/?p=903"},"modified":"2024-04-17T16:31:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T16:31:47","slug":"nonprofit-arts-success-out-of-hand-theater-shakes-the-trees-of-social-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/05\/07\/nonprofit-arts-success-out-of-hand-theater-shakes-the-trees-of-social-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"Nonprofit Arts Success: Out of Hand Theater Shakes the Trees of Social Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>And they\u2019re changing Atlanta for the better every minute.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outofhandtheater.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?resize=1024%2C550&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?resize=1024%2C550&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?resize=300%2C161&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?resize=768%2C413&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ariel Fristoe (center), Thomas Brzzle (to the left from our POV), and Adria Kitchens (right) manage to make Out of Hand Theater the most impactful theater not only in Atlanta, but in America.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>From the press releases announcing new artistic leaders for nonprofit theaters in the last year:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cIt has been clear to me for many years that ABC has the skills, the passion, the creativity, and the grit necessary to take on leadership at the highest level.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cWith an impressive background and a deep passion for the mission, DEF brings a fresh vision for the future.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c<em>On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am delighted to announce GHI\u2019s appointment. GHI embodies the energy, hope, and joy of our mission.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Yawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the purposes of fairness, let\u2019s look at the active parts of the mission statements of these three organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201c[First Company] produces great theater, entertains and educates.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c[Second Company] creates extraordinary theatre experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c[Third Company] refreshes the individual, fosters civil discourse, and creates community.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Pardon me. I was mistaken. <em><strong>This<\/strong> part is the yawn part.<\/em> The first set of quotes is the natural reaction from the leaders of a nonprofit arts board of directors to the lackluster \u2013 no, ridiculously stupid \u2013 mission statements of a charitable organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Artistry. Excellence. Passion. Grit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For nonprofit arts organizations, you\u2019d better have those things already. But as proof of community service? Or as a reason to hire? Mere floccinaucinihilipilification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.charisbooksandmore.com\/book\/9781803414461\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Yawn.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-905\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Yawn.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Yawn.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Yawn.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Yawn.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is what members of your community do when they hear you crow about your company&#8217;s artistic excellence. (Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And then there\u2019s this theater company in Atlanta.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How\u2019s this for a mission? \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/outofhandtheater.com\/\">Out of Hand<\/a> works at the intersection of art, social justice, and civic engagement. We help create a more just world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The work is artistically excellent, but so what? The tendrils into every aspect of a city\u2019s famed and dangerous heritage of bringing about change make Out of Hand Theater completely indispensable to the betterment of the people\u2026by including them in the process at every stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And how does Out of Hand measure success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By bottom line revenues? No, but they\u2019re running a surplus, once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By butts-in-seats? No, because events occur in various living rooms, church basements, classrooms, schools, and any place where people can convene and talk about the plan for change. There might be ten people or a hundred. It could be in-person or virtual. The message is the message, not the medium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By positive economic impact for the city? No, they\u2019ll leave that to theme parks, baseball stadiums, and all the thousands of restaurants to provide ancillary revenues. They\u2019re far more efficient an economic machine than arts organizations, no matter what the squishy research may say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They measure it, literally, by the last part of that mission: \u201chelp create a more just world.\u201d And if you ask them, they\u2019ll show you the data. They\u2019ll show you stats of improved education from the Creative Kids program or of the social justice steps taken by participants taking part in Equitable Dinners and Shows in Homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/501c3.guru\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"377\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=1024%2C377&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-906\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=1024%2C377&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=300%2C111&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=768%2C283&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=1536%2C566&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=2048%2C755&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/432133037_10161553373792859_1019906436661047408_n.jpg?resize=1140%2C420&amp;ssl=1 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Shows in Homes,&#8221; an Out of Hand Theater original program. Classrooms make a great place to foment change. (Photo: Out of Hand Theater)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The success of Out of Hand success is not borne from telling, showing, producing, manipulating, or through grand, applaudable sets, costumes, or lighting. They produce work in the living rooms, church basements, schools \u2013 all levels, corporate conference rooms, and community centers all across Georgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it didn\u2019t start that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMaia Knispel and I went to college together at Emory,\u201d remembered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outofhandtheater.com\/staff-and-board-1\">Ariel Fristoe<\/a>, the co-founder and co-leader of the company. \u201cWe got to do a couple of really incredible shows together in college. Some amazing experiences, including doing Anne Bogart\u2019s SITI Company training during the Olympics here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"907\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ariel-and-Andrew-Young.jpg?resize=1024%2C907&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ariel-and-Andrew-Young.jpg?resize=1024%2C907&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ariel-and-Andrew-Young.jpg?resize=300%2C266&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ariel-and-Andrew-Young.jpg?resize=768%2C680&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Ariel-and-Andrew-Young.jpg?w=1363&amp;ssl=1 1363w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ariel Fristoe, seen here with civil rights leader, former mayor of Atlanta, and Ambassador Andrew Young<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The beginnings of the company were not unusual. Gifted young actors, trying on their various actor personas both on the stage and off. \u201cAfter college, just like a year later or something, we re-hooked up when Maia was in <em>Back to Methuselah<\/em>, a 10-hour Shaw play [about the history of mankind].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was Eve,\u201d said Maia, proudly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full story will be told another day, but it\u2019s important to know that like many small companies, they did plays and performance art and sold tickets, just like most theater companies. They lived hand-to-mouth. When they bombed with a project \u2014 which is not unusual for <em>any <\/em>arts organization \u2014 they nearly closed. Then Ariel realized that success could not depend on art alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo matter how fun it is to make the kind of art that you really want to make \u2014 even if you get critical acclaim, and even if some audiences come in and really love it \u2014 it is, in some ways really unfulfilling. You work so hard and you still lose so much money. What do you have left?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a near-closing came a lifeline from an unlikely place, science departments at Emory. \u201cScientists started approaching us and saying, \u2018Hey, there&#8217;s this issue going on in sciences right now where the NSF and other big funders, as they&#8217;re making it a condition of our funding of our grants, that we be able to communicate our research to non-science audiences. And nobody has ever trained us how to do that. We have no idea how to do it. We hate it. We&#8217;re scared of it. Could you do it for us if we pay you?\u2019 And we realized that yes, there is a way that theater could be useful, have impact, have funding, and have an audience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, there is an arithmetic logic to the goals of Out of Hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/501c3.guru\/scene-change\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"79\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art-.jpg?resize=1024%2C79&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-908\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art--scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C79&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art--scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C23&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art--scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C60&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art--scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C119&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Art--scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C159&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 2001, Out of Hand has collaborated with dozens of community partners to produce programs that combine art to open hearts, information to open minds, and conversation to process feelings and thoughts and make a plan for action. Our programs include Equitable Dinners, Shows in Homes, Community Collaborations, Creative Kids, and the Institute for Equity Activism. All of our programs are based on two pillars, racial justice and economic justice, and they take place in homes, schools, businesses, houses of worship, public spaces, and on Zoom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The New York Times showered the company with praise, especially during the pandemic, calling Out of Hand Theater its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/06\/16\/theater\/equitable-dinner-out-of-hand.html\">2020 Theater of the Year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, as of right now, they are running annual surpluses and building a reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outofhandtheater.com\/staff-and-board-1\">Ariel Fristoe (Artistic Director), Thomas Brazzle (Managing Director), and Adria Kitchens (Director of Equity and Activism)<\/a> co-lead Out of Hand Theater. Thomas and Adria have amazing and compelling personal stories which, again, will be revealed later. Just know that their passion, as described in the companies above, is a given. Everyone on the board has passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Passion is not unusual. Grit is not special. Energy, hope, and joy are not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Impact is everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no better example of using theater as a tool for community impact than Out of Hand Theater. As mentioned in the earlier column regarding the Mellon Foundation\u2019s recent transformational gifts, every major foundation in the United States should be cutting million dollar checks to Out of Hand to increase the foundation\u2019s national effectiveness and Out of Hand\u2019s depth of impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/outofhandtheater.kindful.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/handing-a-check-over.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-909\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/handing-a-check-over.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/handing-a-check-over.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/handing-a-check-over.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/handing-a-check-over.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Every major foundation in the United States should be cutting million dollar checks to Out of Hand to increase the foundation\u2019s national effectiveness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because even if another organization were to try to do \u00e0 la carte programs to augment an art-for-art\u2019s-sake organizational monstrosity, it would not work. Creating impact is not an add-on experience; it\u2019s the center of everything they do. That\u2019s why they deserve every million dollars they receive \u2013 it pays for measured positive impact among the unserved, the underserved, and the socially trounced-upon in Atlanta and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/scene-change-why-today-s-nonprofit-arts-organizations-have-to-stop-producing-art-and-start-producing-impact-alan-harrison\/19872415?ean=9781803414461\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"965\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AD-for-birthday-post.jpg?resize=965%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-892\" style=\"width:737px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AD-for-birthday-post.jpg?resize=965%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 965w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AD-for-birthday-post.jpg?resize=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1 283w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AD-for-birthday-post.jpg?resize=768%2C815&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AD-for-birthday-post.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 965px) 100vw, 965px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/alanharrison\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"744\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.jpeg?resize=744%2C394&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.jpeg?w=744&amp;ssl=1 744w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/image.jpeg?resize=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is one nonprofit theater organization that truly believes in the charitable aspect of its existence. And they&#8217;re doing just fine, thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":904,"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":[21,100,40,32,29,28,19,18,17,99],"tags":[60,10,50],"class_list":{"0":"post-903","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-culture","8":"category-book-recommendation","9":"category-change","10":"category-charity","11":"category-dei","12":"category-diversity-equity-inclusion","13":"category-leadership","14":"category-nonprofit","15":"category-nonprofit-arts-organizations","16":"category-scene-change","17":"tag-foundations","18":"tag-impact","19":"tag-nonprofit-management","20":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/blog-post-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"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":903,"position":0},"title":"&#8220;A PUNCHY, OUTSPOKEN ARGUMENT FOR HOW NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN.&#8221;","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 &quot;Arts and Culture&quot;","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":643,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2023\/10\/10\/500000000-a-year-for-five-years-for-nonprofit-theaters-wow-is-that-ever-a-bad-idea\/","url_meta":{"origin":903,"position":1},"title":"$500,000,000 a Year for Five Years for Nonprofit Theaters? Wow, Is That Ever a Bad Idea.","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"October 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Desperation can cause bad and even damaging ideas. And then there\u2019s this.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Arts and Culture&quot;","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\/10\/Bad-Ideas.jpg?fit=1111%2C610&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Bad-Ideas.jpg?fit=1111%2C610&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Bad-Ideas.jpg?fit=1111%2C610&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Bad-Ideas.jpg?fit=1111%2C610&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Bad-Ideas.jpg?fit=1111%2C610&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":896,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2024\/04\/12\/special-post-rewarding-bad-nonprofit-theater-behavior-by-using-trickle-down-just-say-no\/","url_meta":{"origin":903,"position":2},"title":"SPECIAL POST: Rewarding Bad Nonprofit Theater Behavior By Using Trickle-Down? 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It's a bad bill and really should not pass.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Book Recommendation&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Book Recommendation","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/category\/book-recommendation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Money-down-the-toilet.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Money-down-the-toilet.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Money-down-the-toilet.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Money-down-the-toilet.jpg?fit=1000%2C667&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"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":903,"position":3},"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 &quot;Arts and Culture&quot;","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":1436,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/scenechange\/2025\/08\/12\/arts-organizations-laughing-yelling-insanity-and-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":903,"position":4},"title":"Arts Organizations: Laughing, Yelling, Insanity, and You","author":"Alan Harrison","date":"August 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Nonprofit arts organizations are dropping like flies. 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