Art gets people excited.
Business doesn't.
Business concepts like strategy, marketing, etc. are essential elements to the artistic process but they are not the point.
You're at the Board meeting of a nonprofit arts organization. All the talk is about business. Deficits, fundraising, blah, blah, blah.
The room is filled with dead eyes. Bodies in the room. Hearts and minds elsewhere.
Why? Because business talk is boring. If they wanted to talk about spreadsheets they would have stayed in the office. It's necessary talk, but still boring.
The someone talks about the art. The play. The dancer. The painter. Now the room is alive. Now things are getting interesting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The arts should be run like a business"
We hear that a lot. Like most common sayings it's a little true and a little false. A basic understanding of business principles is essential and can be a bit shocking how many seem to lack even that level of awareness.
But all that stuff can be taught.
What is much harder to develop is an artistic vision strong enough to give all that business savvy a sense of purpose.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few years back a lot of people suggested I start an arts organization. I was flattered by the interest, but I always declined.
I declined because I knew I didn't have (nor did I know anyone who had) an artistic vision that I thought would be strong enough to break the clutter. If you don't have that, it makes effective fundraising, marketing, etc. much tougher.
Don't be fooled. The art comes first. Always. That's where the sense of purpose comes from.
Comments