Arts Vibrancy, Security, and Non-governance
At the end of April, the National Center for Arts Research (NCAR) published its annual report. I thought it would be of value to start off this month by looking at success stories in the arts. I also thought an article about security at arts events would be a timely topic to address. Lastly, despite two years of warnings, an art center in Colorado is having its financed operations investigated by the city police. That can’t be good.
Arts Vibrancy
The National Center for Arts Research 2017 Index notes, “Evidence shows that arts and cultural organizations in the U.S. are well-distributed across the country, serving communities both poor and affluent, rural and urban, not just on the coasts and not just in major metropolitan markets.” [p3] These annual reports grow in value as NCAR continues to refine its criteria as it assesses what makes a vibrant arts ecology. The additional value of this report is it offers a rich framework in which to discuss arts research and research methodologies. In addition, there is information on the NCAR website about fundraising ROI and other data points that are of research value to faculty, students, and arts leaders.
Event Security?
The recent bombing in Manchester England on May 22, 2017, is a sobering reminder of the risk management issues faced by arts organizations and presenters. This incident provides an opportunity to discuss the topic of the arts manager and their role in ensuring public safety. Inviting the public to share and enjoy our programming has always carried with it the responsibility to do our best to make sure people are safe while they are our guests. I thought the posting by Maria Roberts in International Arts Manager raised some important points about security. She is concerned that the arts industry generally avoids the topic of the threat of terrorism to its own detriment. A class discussion about safety and security can also cover a wide range of moral and ethical topics.
Ignoring Warnings of Financial Problems at an Art Center
The last article should lead to an interesting discussion about governance, or the lack thereof. Despite warnings, the mismanagement of the finances of an art center in Glenwood Colorado was allowed to go on for two years. It finally took employees complaining that their paychecks were bouncing to get the city administration and the board to acknowledge the problem. This article includes examples of ineffective board governance and oversight, people being reluctant to speak out due to perceived favoritism, and possible false statements about the finances of the center. This is quite a soap opera.
By the way, I could not find the Glenwood Art Center on GuideStar because I assume its financial operations are under the umbrella of the city. However, the article notes, “…the city continued to emphasize that it had no supervisory responsibility for the art center and its director.” Interesting.
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The Top 20 Most Vibrant Arts Communities in America (2017)
April 24, 2017, SMU National Center for Arts Research website, by nrallo
“SMU’s National Center for Arts Research (NCAR) announces its third annual Arts Vibrancy Index, which ranks more than 900 communities across the country, examining the level of supply, demand, and government support for the arts in each city.
This year, 20% of the communities on the most-vibrant list appear for the first time – a total of eight new communities, including one new state, Alaska. Key movements and new communities featured on the lists include:
- Pittsburgh, PA; Richmond, VA; and Rochester, NY, which were ranked in 2015 but not in 2016, all reclaimed spots on the top 20 large cities list;
- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA; Ithaca, NY; Asheville, NC; and Barnstable Town, MA are new to the index and are featured in the top 10 medium cities list;
- Hudson, NY; Greenfield Town, MA; Oneonta, NY; and Juneau, AK, also new to the index, are in the top 10 small cities list.”
LINK TO REPORT: http://www.smu.edu/~/media/Site/Meadows/NCAR/NCAR_ArtsVibrancy_04-17.pdf
Why won’t the arts and entertainment industry talk about the threat of terrorism?
By Maria Roberts, International Arts Manager, May 26, 2017 – ANALYSIS
“It’s been an upsetting week here for the IAM team in Manchester following the bombing at Manchester Arena on Monday, 22 May, which left 22 dead, more than 120 injured, and 20,000 concertgoers traumatised. This city is our home, and as the news unfolded during the week, the pain we all felt for the affected families deepened.
Once the throbbing heart of industrialisation, Manchester is now buzzing with action. We’ve been fortunate to benefit from multi-million pound redevelopments of our arts and humanities buildings, we’re also fortunate to have lots of cheap space in “mills” available to artists to explore their ideas: teenagers can form bands and record tracks relatively easily, artists can paint and exhibit, designers can spend months developing products then see them through to distribution, before finally opening their own boutiques.
Unlike other expensive cities, being an artist here in Manchester can be a way of life, should you choose it. It’s a wonderful atmosphere. We have a flagship festival too: Manchester International Festival (MIF), taking place 29 June to 16 July 2017.
But when the terrorist attack in Manchester on Monday 22 May was reported globally, I was reminded of conversations I have had with arts managers the world over during our interviews.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: http://www.internationalartsmanager.com/news/arts/its-about-time-we-started-talking-about-terrorism-in-the-arts-and-entertainment-industry.html
Additional Resource on Event Safety and Security
This link to an article in Protocol magazine recaps a conference held in 2016 on a wide range of event safety practices. As the article notes, “… what you don’t want is your plan is to make a plan if something happens.”
Protocol magazine, Winter 2017, Vol. 22, Number 1, “Event Safety Summit, 2016” p50.
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?&edid=2a13ff10-d079-4ae2-b5d4-1cfee767c0ba
Emails show city ignored arts center warnings
Ryan Summerlin, Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, CO., May 22, 2017
“Board members and staffers from the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts tried to alert the city of Glenwood Springs to red flags at the nonprofit starting in 2015. But until recently, city officials brushed off those concerns.
Glenwood Springs police are investigating art center finances, an investigation that started days after the former executive director Christina Brusig resigned in early April. Since then the city has cut off funding for the art center, and the nonprofit has severely cut back its operations amid a forensic audit. For a couple of weeks, the organization’s board was weighing whether to shut down for good.
Results of a Post Independent open records request for city emails about the art center’s finances show tips to the city, first in 2015, then again in 2016, about the nonprofit’s financial troubles.
Documents provided to the PI also show that art center board members last month discovered multiple bank accounts, accounts that had been overdrawn and bounced paychecks, among other issues.”
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE: http://www.postindependent.com/news/local/emails-show-city-ignored-art-center-warnings/