It's a few years back . . .
I'm in a Board meeting.
It's a bit tense.
A lot of them had been lately.
The basic story, "we need more money, here are the challenges we are facing, etc."
A week later, one of the newer Board members quits.
I ask why.
His response, "I deal with stress at work all day, I don't need a lot of it during my spare time. Plus, I thought working in the arts was supposed to be fun."
I understood.
Here was a guy who spent most of his time in heated negotiations (he was a lawyer), but at least he was getting paid for it.
But now the guy was dealing with hassle in his spare time . . . and paying us for the privilege!
He had come onto the Board to help the organization and to enjoy himself.
He didn't feel like he was helping.
He wasn't enjoying himself.
He quit.
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If I said one of the purposes of the arts was to spread joy to the audience you would probably agree with that.
So here's my question:
How far does that joy spread?
If the arts organization is thrilling their audience but stressing their board out . . . are they doing a good job?
If at the end of every performance the audience gives you a standing ovation, but the administrative staff is burned out and miserable . . . is the standing O really worth it?
If the production values of the show are incredible, but the artists in the show feel undervalued . . . is that an acceptable outcome?
I've seen many arts organizations that work and many that don't.
What the ones that don't work have in common is this . . . some vital part of the organization isn't feeling the joy. They are deeply disatisfied with how things are going. They often feel this despite the fact that the art they are presenting to the world is being perceived fairly well.
I've always felt that part of the responsibility for those who start an artistic organization is to make sure they EVERYONE who touches the organization feels a small piece of the positive energy that that art creates.
It's a high standard, but a necessary one.
Because if working in the arts isn't fun (at least some of the time), then what's the point of being in it?
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