Drew McManus on the orchestra business.
Next week, I’m off to Fredonia State University of New York as a guest lecturer for a two-day residency. I was delighted to receive an invitation from the Ethos New Music Society, a presenting organization established at the State University of New York at Fredonia, to discuss how composers and performers can not only survive, but thrive, in the contemporary performing arts field. I’m sure a follow-up article will happen after …
Knock on wood, it’s been a comparatively quiet beginning to the season regarding labor relations. Historically, strikes and lockouts tend to happen toward the front of the season and here’s a quick history of October based work stoppages over the past decade, broken down by year: 2016 How To Look Like The Smartest Person In The Room When Talking About This Season’s Labor Disputes Pittsburgh Symphony Labor Dispute Continues Down A …
Among the more beneficial student aid programs, one that flies under the radar is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The program cancels outstanding student debt for those who work for the government or nonprofits if they have been making on-time payments for 10 years. President Trump’s proposed budget wants to eliminate the program entirely. This decision would impact both key stakeholders throughout the nonprofit performing arts field: arts administrators …
Ever since the news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) became public knowledge, responses from inside and out of the arts community have been swift. There’s a list of reports from mainstream media that examine how much arts and culture contribute to the financial and civic health of metropolitan areas. NEA, NEH have poured millions …
Toward the end of 2015, I had the pleasure of working with Brian Artka from Size43 Creative, a firm that describes itself as creating films that connect people on a human level. Not long ago, Artka pointed me toward a presentation he put together for the Wisconsin Chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services that includes one of the best examples I’ve come across for making a real connection via …