Commentary – Page 58 – Adaptistration

You Can Use More Than Policy To Determine How Much A Candidate Supports Arts And Artists

Thursday, July 28th, 2016 by Drew McManus

Traditionally, one of the most common methods to help determine a political candidate’s views on arts and culture is to examine his/her proposed Arts and Culture policy along with the individuals appointed as official advisors. But there’s another obvious benchmark that often gets overlooked: how candidates treat artists and their work when campaigning. Simply put, if a candidate values artists and the work they create, they should have no trouble leading …

Let’s Think About Funding Models

Thursday, July 21st, 2016 by Drew McManus

Joe Patti published an intriguing article at ArtsHacker.com yesterday that examines a 2009 Stanford Social Innovation Review about ten different nonprofit funding models. It’s a fascinating read, especially in light of the time period it was written, just after the economic downturn when many nonprofits were scrambling to reassure their funding identity. The orchestra field was no different at that time and internal discussions surrounding revenue models juxtaposed with the information …

Some Good News About Outreach And Diversity Out Of Baltimore

Thursday, July 7th, 2016 by Drew McManus

The 6/28/2016 edition of the Baltimore Sun published an article by Mary Carole McCauley that reports on a $1.2 million gift from Mark and Patricia Joseph which will be used to increase accessibility to existing Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) education efforts for students from low income schools. The gift is very straightforward in that the funds will be used to offset the $10 per student ticket price and related transportation costs. According …

Kaiser Files Philly Orch Report. Zero Surprises.

Tuesday, July 5th, 2016 by Drew McManus

Back at the beginning of the 2015/16 season, the Philadelphia Orchestra was primed and ready for a major labor dispute but just when it seemed like things would get ugly, the Philadelphia Orchestra Association (POA) and the musicians agreed to a one-year agreement with the proviso that the orchestra would hire an independent consultant, former Kennedy Center CEO Michael Kaiser, to perform an institutional review (details). Shortly before the July 4th …

How Inviting Is Your Organization?

Monday, June 13th, 2016 by Drew McManus

From 6/10/16 through 6/12/2016, Chicago was home to the America’s Cup series. Since the races took place right next to my condo building and it was the first time in 165 years the series was held on a fresh water course, it was exciting to walk down Navy Pier each evening and watch the preparations, feel the excitement grow, and ultimately watch the races. Having said that, I approached the series …