As I contemplate the new year, 2012, these are my professional resolutions: I will: Get involved politically, making donations as I can to the political candidates I support. Too often I’ve promised to do this, but haven’t. This year, as it appears to me more important than ever to the arts and culture sector, I will. Strongly advise my friends and clients who run, … [Read more...] about My 2012 Professional Resolutions
Defending Arts Entrepreneurship
As I interact more with arts entrepreneurship professionals, especially those in music (my home field), I am appalled at how often and consistently these professionals are asked to defend their discipline. What could be more important today than equipping our students with skills that will enable them to create a new musical landscape, one that is infused with youthful energy … [Read more...] about Defending Arts Entrepreneurship
The Arts and Social Capital
As the "economic rationale" for supporting and funding the arts has fallen into disuse, another has risen, and one of much more substance, that of "building social capital." The "economic rationale" was bound to have a short life, as it never factored in opportunity costs, e.g. what if a sports arena had been built downtown instead of a performing arts center, wouldn't the … [Read more...] about The Arts and Social Capital
The Language of Music Advocacy
In a recent class I was teaching on music entrepreneurship, during an idea/feedback section of the class, I became mystified at many students' inability to express in words the importance of music. Their ideas were wonderful: full of social impact, caring and dedication, but their ability to communicate effectively about the "why" of them was severely limited. I concede that … [Read more...] about The Language of Music Advocacy
Idea Formation, Entrepreneur or Career Exploration
Dear Taylor, Last Monday, at the end of the class on entrepreneurship you asked a difficult question, how do I develop ideas? I have thought long and hard about this and have come up with suggestions for you - and others. And after I developed these suggestions, I realized that they can work whether you are seeking to develop a new idea (venture) or a new path for your … [Read more...] about Idea Formation, Entrepreneur or Career Exploration