For theatre artists to matter in America, for them to exercise their core skills like fostering empathy and to paving the way for honest and impactful dialogue, organizations that produce theatre have to matter. Simple enough, right? But this may well be a somewhat-stickier-wicket than making sure artists matter! Because for it to happen, these … [Read more...] about An Introduction to Producorial Responsibilities
A Strategic Approach to Raising Artist Value
Leading With Our Values
If we start from the thesis that theatre artists and their skills are critical to the health of our democracy - which I think we must if we want to matter - then it’s clearly incumbent upon non-commercial producers to increase these artists’ exposure and potential impact. We have to put them in places and contexts where their particular strengths will be featured: where they … [Read more...] about Leading With Our Values
How Theatre Artists Become Essential, Part 2
Despite the fairly widespread recognition of great artists as hard workers, the challenge of raising the overall value of theatre artists in the U.S. today is that most Americans just don’t see them as vital to improving daily quality of life. Whole generations have grown up without rigorous, consistent, or engaging arts education in their schools. Many producing … [Read more...] about How Theatre Artists Become Essential, Part 2
How Theatre Artists Become Essential, Part 1
Before we can talk about the extrinsic value theatre artists ought to have in our society (what they get paid, what status they are given, what percentage of taxpayer dollars funnels their way, etc…), we need to try to define their intrinsic value. This encompasses both what they do uniquely well, and why what they do matters. … [Read more...] about How Theatre Artists Become Essential, Part 1
Time to say NO to the “Scarcity Principle”
Theatre-makers in America undeniably work in an embattled field. Artists face low salaries, inconsistent opportunities, and the difficulties any freelance American worker must manage apropos of health insurance, retirement, and child-rearing. The organizations that employ them face cuts, conundrums (e.g. as government funding levels decrease annually, their … [Read more...] about Time to say NO to the “Scarcity Principle”