Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
I recently joined a board of directors and have been tasked with updating the organization’s Robert’s Rules of Order guideline. My plan is move from the existing text-heavy document (that no one reads or follows) to something that utilizes a user-friendly visual approach. It’s been at least seven years since I’ve taken a deep dive into Robert’s Rules resources. As such, I’m curious to know which resources are your favorites. Take …
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 …
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) …
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 …
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 …