Governance

I’ll Take The Job Description Turducken On Rye To-Go Please

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019Wednesday, September 4th, 2019 by Drew McManus

It’s no secret nonprofit performing arts admins are overworked and underpaid. Fortunately, the issue is starting to get more attention but that hasn’t done much to curtail what I’ve noticed as a growing trend of stuffing an increasing amount of duties and responsibilities into single positions. Traditionally, you’ll find something resembling the following three-tiered structure at most arts orgs: Director = Mid to late career, $$$ pay, runs a department, determines …

Define That: Total Fiscal Transparency

Monday, August 12th, 2019Tuesday, August 13th, 2019 by Drew McManus

There’s a fascinating article by Charles T. Downey in the 8/12/19 edition of Washington Classical Review that examines the ongoing Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) lockout. Downey suggests that in order for the organization to maintain artistic integrity while addressing existing economic conditions, the BSO’s executive leadership must “establish total financial transparency.” That’s a superb suggestion and one that has certainly assisted with not only resolving pending labor disputes (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) …

#TBT Remember The Days When Neoreactionaries Seemed Extreme?

Thursday, July 11th, 2019Thursday, July 11th, 2019 by Drew McManus

Back in July, 2014 I published a post about what I defined as the end of the golden age of orchestras and opera. I came to that conclusion, in part, because of the sharp increase in neoreactionary dominated culture. Within that context, neoreactionaries were those who cast themselves as victims within a larger operating environment and believe they are somehow tasked with a principled responsibility to right the wrongs for a …

A Question Of Systemic Debt In Baltimore

Thursday, June 27th, 2019Friday, June 28th, 2019 by Drew McManus

There’s a fascinating article in the 6/25/2019 edition of The Baltimore Sun by Mary Carole McCauley that begins to draw lines supporters use to align themselves with one stakeholder or another in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s (BSO) ongoing lockout. Specifically, the article examines the recent spike of annual debt over the last 19 months and the impact it has on day-to-day cash flow. The [BSO] owed its vendors $2.1 million as …

Oregon Bach Festival Exec At Center Of Controversy Is Removed From Position

Sunday, June 23rd, 2019Monday, June 24th, 2019 by Drew McManus

The Oregon Bach Festival’s (OBF) troubles started in 2017 and never really went away. Long story short, OBF Executive Director, Janelle McCoy, spearheaded a process that ultimately removed then artistic director Matthew Halls from his position in the wake of allegations of discrimination against women and a minority. OBF ultimately dismissed Halls but it didn’t take long for numerous reports of erroneous charges to emerge, such as the complaint of discrimination …

GET SOCIAL

TWO WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL:

Weekly Email Summary Subscription