Cultural Confidence Update

The latest cycle in the ongoing Cultural Confidence poll finished up this weekend and the Cultural Confidence Indicator has been updated accordingly. Results from that poll cycle indicate the current mood toward cultural institution’s finances is similar to the previous two week period whereas the economic outlook improved a bit. Worth noting is this period covered immediately before and after the presidential election…

Consequently, the election results may have had an impact on the slightly improved economic outlook when you consider the drop in economic outlook slowed considerably while the positive outlook actually improved. This may indicate a certain altitude of confidence as a result in the impending change of leadership at the national level. Improvements notwithstanding, the numbers of those with a negative economic outlook continue to outnumber those with a positive outlook by more than 2-1.

It will be interesting to see how the rapid changes in economic conditions, impending financial earnings reports, and the annual holiday retail season impact this poll cycle. If you haven’t cast your vote in the current poll cycle then VOTE NOW.

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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