This lyric from Queen and David Bowie (“Under Pressure”) says it all for the fight between “doing what we know” and “doing better.” Who are the casualties of battle? In the United States, Memorial Day is a federal holiday. Like most, it is spent buying things on sale, because America. The American people don’t really distinguish between Memorial Day, Independence Day, … [Read more...] about For Nonprofit Arts Organizations, “These Are the Days It Never Rains But It Pours”
Board of Directors
Framing Art: Why Do Nonprofit Arts Organizations Hire Managers Instead of Leaders?
Is it because young leaders are being trained to make buggy whips when nonprofit arts organizations need electric helicopter pilots? Have you been following Joby Aviation? They’re in the business of building the first mass-produced electric helicopters, made for speedy travel between airports and downtowns. The idea of a noiseless carriage moving faster (200 mph) and with … [Read more...] about Framing Art: Why Do Nonprofit Arts Organizations Hire Managers Instead of Leaders?
Nonprofit Arts Organization Boards: An Epilogue
You don’t have to follow what others call “best practices” if it doesn’t work for your community If you are a nonprofit arts board member, you have a chance to build something great. And no, the best way is not to copy what your fellow arts organizations are doing. In fact, it might behoove you to look at other kinds of nonprofits that fit under the IRS guidelines. If … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Organization Boards: An Epilogue
What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s 6th Through ∞th Most Important Responsibilities?
After the first five, the rest will grow your skills in all you do All nonprofits are essentially scientific, social experiments in bettering our various lots in life. Including nonprofit arts organizations. The background of that experiment is this: there is a thing that needs to be done or else the community suffers. Private businesses can’t do it. The government … [Read more...] about What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s 6th Through ∞th Most Important Responsibilities?
What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s Fifth Most Important Responsibility?
Now that you have the first four under your belt, here’s where the rubber meets the road. Okay, nonprofit arts board members, let’s go over this again. In order: And now, finally, #5. Advocate. Advocate zealously. In September 2020, we discussed the idea that board members are not ambassadors, regardless of what you may have heard. In fact, it was in the … [Read more...] about What’s Your Nonprofit Arts Board’s Fifth Most Important Responsibility?