Thinking About Security

Adaptistration People 159Over the 4th of July weekend, one of my clients, Freeman Stage at Bayside, experienced a security concern that required rescheduling a concert. Fortunately, the group handled the situation wonderfully and their patrons have been nothing but supportive; even better, one of the two suspects is currently in custody (details). But this does remind everyone throughout the performing arts field that preparedness matters.

To that end, one of the in-depth seminars at the 2016 Arts Midwest Conference in Milwaukee on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 is titled Venue Safety and Security: Protecting Public Assemblies in the 21st Century.

I’m presenting another in-depth seminar at the same conference and the Venue Safety and Security session caught my eye while reviewing the full schedule. I’m curious to know if any readers have attended similar sessions at one or more conferences over the past few years. If so, which ones and what did you think of the session?

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

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