Andrew Taylor, Rocking Blogger
Are great ideas contagious?
Earlier this week, Kennedy Center announced its timely new initiative, Arts in Crisis, which will offer “free consulting from both Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser [aka The Turnaround King] and members of the Kennedy Center’s executive staff” to “provide emergency planning assistance” to performing arts organizations in financial distress. The program also hopes to enlist the help of experts around the country who volunteer (here) to become mentors. Those in need of help can apply here, to ask “a few questions” or get “a more in-depth review.”
There’s no charge for the service, which has been funded by two individual donors.
Brett Zonger of the Associated Press spoke to Kaiser:
“I’ve never seen it as bad as this,” Kaiser said. Some groups have done
better with budgeting a cushion of cash reserves, but others need help,
he said. “If too many get ill, it’s bad for the entire arts world.”
Speaking of solving financial problems, my fellow ArtsJournal blogger, Andrew Taylor has just posted a singing podcast that puts my own feeble musical efforts to shame. Let’s all sing along to the “Arts Administrator” song (audio bar below). This might even inspire me to record, “Here Comes My 19th Deaccession.” Wait a minute, how about the Jehuda Reinharz theme song (via Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice): “Secondhand Rose”?
It starts something like this:
Father had a business,
Strictly second-hand:
Everything from Eakins
To Asher Durand…
On second thought, I think I’ll spare you that (if I can restrain myself). But do listen to Andrew’s highly polished production. Those arts administrators sure do know how to rock (between that and a hard place):