I thought the article about how American orchestras are grappling with cultivating more diversity on stage and in the audience is a good discussion topic for aspiring arts managers in any discipline. There is great value reading about the many different initiatives being tried by orchestras across America. This topic could be integrated into year-long class discussions, and you might include monitoring diversity efforts underway in performing arts organizations and museums in your own community.<\/p>\n
The article about the Fresno Grand Opera is interesting because of the unusual move by the company to self-report the alleged malfeasance by the former general director and associate director. The article offers a detailed breakdown of the charges against the former employees, and should make for a lively class discussion. Questions about governance practices and board oversight will be prompted by this article.<\/p>\n
Lastly, it is always interesting to read about the inherent risk associated with producing theatre on Broadway. The New York Times<\/em> article about four shows that recently closed provides a good basis for a discussion about what ingredients go into the success or failure of a show.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By Jeanne Allen, June 14, 2016, Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)<\/p>\n The headline for an article in last week\u2019s Baltimore Sun says it all: \u201cIn Baltimore, the largely white orchestra world talks diversity.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The conference theme for the 2016 League of American Orchestras was \u201cThe Richness of Difference.\u201d This annual conference was held last week in Baltimore, a majority African-American city, with the conference drawing a mostly white audience. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) hosted the event, and invited the keynotes. Earl Lewis, the president of the Andrew Mellon Foundation and an African American history scholar, was the opening speaker, sharing lessons learned from Mellon\u2019s initiatives to diversity the profession of college professors. <\/em>Read more here: Link to NPQ article <\/a><\/p>\n For the Baltimore Sun<\/em> article read more here: http:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/entertainment\/arts\/artsmash\/bs-ae-orchestra-conference-20160608-story.html<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donald Munro, June 16, 2016 3:39 PM, The Fresno Bee<\/em><\/p>\n The Fresno Grand Opera charged Thursday that former key employees were involved in financial irregularities, conflicts of interest and improper corporate governance.<\/em><\/p>\n The opera company, led since December 2014 by a new board and general director Matthew Buckman, delivered a ream of documents, a scathing internal report covering 2009-14 and a list of allegations to the state attorney general\u2019s office on May 16. As part of the self-reporting process, the company says it will amend and refile its Form 990 tax filings for the period covering 2010-14. The attorney general\u2019s office is the enforcement mechanism for keeping the state\u2019s nonprofit organizations (also called community benefit organizations) in legal compliance.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt was very disturbing to discover these issues upon my arrival to the company,\u201d Buckman said. \u201cOur goal here is only to establish trust and credibility in our community.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nOrchestras Face Connection Between Diversity and Relevance<\/em><\/h3>\n
Fresno Grand Opera reports financial misconduct to state attorney general<\/em><\/h3>\n