Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
Just a short and sweet post today to say there must be something in the air as I’ve seen a trio of classical music prediction articles over the last week. Usually, they don’t really bother me but while the field is still emerging from the pandemic and uncertainty runs rampant, now is not the time for prognostication. Instead, examining how orchestras can use this time of transition to shed old habits, …
In case you were wondering if process and diversity matter, just look at what’s been unfolding at the Art Institute of Chicago where they cut their entire 82-member docent corps go in an email on September 3, 2021. The Institute’s reason for dismissing the docents is they weren’t as diverse as they wanted. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the bulk of those docents were white, retired, women of mid to higher financial means. Once …
I’ve seen several friends and colleagues chatting about a 10/5/2021 article at thenonprofittimes.com which examines the rapidly changing environment of online development. With the subtle headline Fundraisers Wrestling With Tech As Giving Plows Forward, the article doesn’t shy away from addressing some of the biggest self-inflicted hurdles that prevent organizations from maximizing their development efforts. At the top of that list is the need to wean development professionals off of fundraising-specific …
H/T to Joe Patti for bringing the #MyBreakthrough campaign to my attention. Nutshell: it’s an effort by UK based Arts Emergency to help realize how important it is to encourage and provide opportunities for emerging talent. By encouraging people to tag & tweet about the person(s) who “gave you some key advice or encouragement early in your career,” it helps veteran arts professionals just as much as it does emerging talent. …
Back in 2014, I published a post about a trio of counterproductive practices that contribute to zombie program activity. You know, all those things you do for reasons no one really remembers but the organization does them anyway. As the field emerges from pandemic crisis mode, it’s an ideal time to re-evaluate what you’re doing, measure its value, and ask some tough questions about whether it really contributes to your mission. …