Looking For An Ideal Holiday Office Gift?
Wed, Dec 12, 2020
by Drew McManus
Office gifting doesn’t have to be hard. Fortunately, Arts Admin Merit Badges are the ideal solution to an otherwise irksome quandary. And in the age of COVID where everyone is working more with less, showing acknowledgement and appreciation is more important than ever. They’re a great way for arts admins to show appreciation for hard
Orchestra Admin Employment Status Update Survey Results
Tue, Dec 12, 2020
by Drew McManus
First and foremost, I want to extend a big thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a response for the employment status update survey. It’s not easy to talk about the pressures of looking for work, which makes this terrific response that much more meaningful. Just over 100 responses arrived and according
Rethinking The Data We Use To Motivate Board Members
Mon, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
It’s no secret that board members are up to their eyeballs in rough news. While there’s no way to avoid it, that doesn’t mean we can’t play the hand we’re dealt and win. For instance, introducing data to keep them motivated and focused on longer term strategic thinking is a great way to pivot from
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thu, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
I’m taking the rest of the week off from blogging and I hope everyone will be able to set aside time to enjoy a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving with family and friends. If you’re looking for something to binge that has a superb soundtrack, consider Star Trek: Lower Decks. Easily, the best Trek series soundtrack
Shop Talk S01E08: Centering Equity
Tue, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
In a week where giving thanks is on the mind, I am remarkably grateful these two dynamic and candid guests agreed to join the pod and talk about equity. Ruby Lopez Harper, Americans for the Arts Senior Director of Local Arts Advancement, and Dr. Brea M. Heidelberg, Associate Professor & the Director of the Entertainment
If You Haven’t Completed The Employment Status Update Survey, Please Do
Mon, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
The initial responses to last week’s survey asking orchestra managers who lost their position over pandemic shutdowns to provide an update on their employment status has been both sobering and revealing. So far, the vast majority of respondents have yet to find a replacement position and a few respondents have been kind enough to provide
Here’s Hoping We See A Connection Between Words And Actions
Fri, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
Newly minted League of American Orchestras President and CEO, Simon Woods, published a commentary piece at Medium that spells out his thoughts on issues the field should be prioritizing. By and large, it’s a good read. He hits several strong topics squarely on the nose that a few years ago, were actively avoided such as
Thinking About 21-22 Season Planning
Thu, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
The 11/17/2020 edition of NPR broadcast an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci where he talked about impending coronavirus vaccines and timelines. While he was quite clear that plans can change at any moment, the general population rollout will occur at some point toward the end of April or later. “By the time you get to,
Updating The Employment Status For Displaced Orchestra Administrators
Wed, Nov 11, 2020
by Drew McManus
Back in September, we examined five months of data that measured the employment status of orchestra stakeholders. By the end of the that time, just over half of administrators were unemployed, with 31 percent indicating they were underemployed and only 17 percent were fully employed. I wanted to take a moment to gather some data
Just In Case You Thought The Grinch Didn’t Do Thanksgiving