Clik here to view.
L3C Cha-Cha-Cha
Diane Ragsdale In his book The Revolutionary Stage, Joseph Zeigler states that Arena Stage in Washington, DC, began as a for-profit corporation by selling shares totaling $15,000 (at seven percent...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Questioning Old Dogmas
Colin Tweedy I sense a sea change in the way the arts are funded. There is no doubt that many countries in Europe are cutting their culture budgets. A recent leader in the Financial Times concluded:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Circus Mojo – Part One
Paul Miller Founder’s Beware! Do you have a great idea to found a program to help others in need or benefit a worthy cause or a unique artistic goal? If so please ask yourself the following questions:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Cart Before The Horse
Prompted by a fluctuating economy and technological advances indirectly threatening to usurp the traditional live arts experience, we are at the height of buzz surrounding the possible identification...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sorting the 501(c)(3) Arts Basket
Claudia Bach We might look more critically at how our current structure lumps radically different entities into this single basket labeled the nonprofit arts organization: very large institutions such...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What IS Your Business Model?
Maud Lyon Business structures are one thing; business models are another. For all nonprofit arts and culture organizations, there are six sources of revenue: Gifts from individuals; gifts from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Tricks for Old Dogs
(This title and entry is not meant to insult any one artist, institution, or dog.) From my perspective, many artists originally incorporated because they saw other people doing it; other people getting...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Blurring/Vanishing/Missing Line Between Commercial & Nonprofit
Diane Ragsdale People have been talking about the blurring line between the commercial and nonprofit arts sectors (and related mission/market tradeoffs) for decades. Some see this line blurring and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Poof! The IRS Revokes Tax Exemption for 20,000+ Arts Groups (Updated!)
In 2006, Congress asked the IRS to keep better track of the nation’s 1.7 million nonprofit organizations. Yesterday, the IRS revoked the tax-exempt status of 279,599 of them for not filing legally...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Creating a New Organization: From Concept to Implementation
Angela Harris My name is Angela Harris, and I am the executive director of Dance Canvas, an Atlanta-based dance organization, which I founded four years ago. My first blog entry is chronicling the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Emerging Ideas: Classical Music’s New Entrepreneurs (Part 3)
Ian David Moss (This three-part post is the first of a series on emerging trends and notable lessons from the field, as reported by members of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Council.) The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Embracing the Velocity of Change (Part 4)
The Fairmont Hotel's Venetian Room Circa 1950 The historic Fairmont Hotel has sat atop Nob Hill in San Francisco for over 100 years; built and rebuilt after surviving earthquakes, fires, and numerous...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Arts Managers Can Learn from Steve Jobs
Jeff Scott With the recent release of Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, and several other bios scheduled to come out in the near future, there’s a lot of discussion on what kind of a manager...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fort Wayne: Integrating the Arts Through Practice
Jim Sparrow In Fort Wayne, IN, the arts are an active part of the downtown redevelopment. One of the anchors to this involvement is the new Auer Center for Arts and Culture, which is aligned with our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
With Time to Spare
Stephanie Riven As I work with talented administrators across the country, I hear one familiar refrain over and over: “I don’t have TIME to add one more thing to my calendar—whether that is advocacy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Year-end Washington Policy Decisions Affecting the Arts; What are the Most...
Kate McClanahan You might be wondering what is happening in Congress as the lights twinkle towards year-end. You might be seeing pictures of ducks, a tribute to the current, post-election session...
View Article