In Re-Creating the Corporation (affiliate link)
, Russel Ackoff presents the concept of "Idealized Design", in other words, what would your organization be, right now, if it could be whatever it wanted to be. Think about it, what would it mean to you and your organization if you could start from scratch, create a "perfect world"?What would your perfect world look like? How would you get there? The purpose of this blog is to explore what that might mean for different kinds of arts presenting organizations. The blog name, the Profitable Performing Arts Presenter reflects the need for sustainable approaches to providing meaningful performing arts experiences that have impact and adapt to changing economic realities. I hope you'll join the conversation!
The National Endowment is toast. If not now then not long. Same with State Arts and Humanities Agencies as well as local tax supported commissions. They will all be drained down to the last drop of public copper. Good riddance. Now there is no choice, we must crate a new paradigm for funding the arts. The new business model as you put it. First a warning.
ReplyDeleteCAUTION: Impact with reality may cause dizziness.
America rightfully claims itself history's greatest capitalist society with a non-profit arts sector relegated to beggars. Beggars who are required by boards to strive for capitalism in audiences, concessions and endowments while straining to deny it somehow. We worship an individual artist capitalizing on his or her talents for fame and fortune while demurring for our institutions? Billions of dollars are made on the products of artists as music and film and literature while arts programs get cut from schools and community cause lies fallow. The non-profit sector has all the marbles in the world's greatest capitalist game yet remains one confused puppy. We can earn what we need. We can produce original programming, compete with the content of our character against the for profit purveyors. If we join the capitalist society with vigor we will become your own Mediccis and fund the arts education our nation needs.