All Entries in the "Governance" Category
Dead Cat Bounce
For those unfamiliar with the expression “Dead Cat Bounce,” it comes from the world of finance as a way to describe “a temporary recovery from a prolonged decline or bear market, after which the market continues to fall (source)” – even a dead cat will bounce if dropped from high enough. This phrase came to mind after reading an article by Jeffrey Sheban in the 3/5/2010 edition of the Columbus Dispatch that reports on a 16.6 % budget cut at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) over and above the 28% cut from the previous season… (more…)
Things That Make You Go Buh!?! Honolulu
On Friday, 2/5/2010 Hawaii Public Radio aired an interview conducted by Noe Tanigawa to catch up on the current status of the bankrupt Honolulu Symphony Orchestra (HSO). The 29:35 segment featured excerpts from separate conversations with HSO Executive Director Majken Mechling and HSO tympanist and musicians’ representative Steve Dinion. Tanigawa did an excellent job at not only bringing out new details since the HSO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 12/18/2009 (more) but she managed to uncover two items of interest supporting why the HSO might be better off filing Chapter 7… (more…)
Two Items You Should Be Keeping An Eye On
Although it is undeniably easy to get occupied by issues associated with the economic downturn, there are two items of interest looming on the horizon we should be discussing that could have an enormously adverse impact on the entire business: net neutrality and health care reform. These two issues are something that can be addressed via government affairs activity on the local, state, and national levels so it is in our collective best interests to establish clear positions (you do have an active and influential government affairs apparatus don’t you?)… (more…)
Yep, Process Still Matters
All things being equal, something like this might have slipped by under the radar but thanks to the Boston Globe’s Geoff Edgers, events at the New Hampshire Music Festival (NHMF) have taken center stage. According to Edgers’ article from the 1/11/2010 edition, the NHMF’s board and administrative leadership attempted to implement sweeping changes that were the result of re-conceptualizing the artistic model… (more…)
Seattle Musicians Look Forward By Looking Back
It seems fitting that on the last day of 2009 we take a look at something retrospective; but in this case, retrospection serves as a foundation for looking ahead. In an article dated 12/28/2009, the Seattle Symphony & Opera Players’ Organization (SSOPO) committee chair published a frank article on behalf of his colleagues that presents the musicians’ ideas for the future… (more…)
“We Can’t Be At The Mercy Of Every Economic Cycle”
Today’s headline is a quote from Dennis LaBarre, Cleveland Orchestra’s board president elect. An article in the 12/20/2009 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer by Zachary Lewis does a good job at examining the challenges in store for the organization. I was pleased when Lewis contacted me to ask about current thinking throughout the field with regard to board leadership and it was equally pleasing to see a portion of the article focus on the significance of socioeconomic diversity… (more…)
7-11
At last week’s Midwest Clinic, a colleague asked about the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra’s (HSO) impending bankruptcy. She was curious why the board decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy (known as reorganization or rehabilitation bankruptcy) as opposed to Chapter 7 (also called liquidation bankruptcy). At the core of the conversation was the HSO’s plan to reorganize as a per service or dual core/per service artistic structure… (more…)
Let The Thieving Begin!
Thank goodness it has been awhile since the dirty little secret of just how easy it is for someone inside a nonprofit performing arts organization to misappropriate organizational funds has made headlines. And by misappropriate, I mean embezzle and by embezzle, I mean steal. Nonetheless, from across the Atlantic comes a report that the former Financial Director for the London Philharmonic Orchestra “siphoned off” just under US$1,000,000 over a period of four years. The indiscretion was brought to light after the organization executed an external audit… (more…)
Brouhaha Over Business Models
The 11/9/2009 edition of the Huffington Post published an article by Kennedy Center president Michael Kaiser that starts off with the question “Does the Symphonic Orchestra Model Work?” The piece has caused quite a stir within the orchestra business; dander is up, hackles raised, and righteous indignation abounds. Yet, regardless how many times I read the post, I don’t see what everyone is so upset about… (more…)
There Will Be No Further Reductions In The Ranks
Amidst all the buzz this week about new business models sparked by an article from Michael Kaiser for the 11/9/2009 edition of The Huffington Post (no worries, we’ll be examining that in more detail after Mad Men week) I thought it would be fun to look at one of the major plot points from this year’s season of Mad Men and how it relates to this field… (more…)
A Worthwhile Concessionary Agreement Part 2
Part 1 in this set of articles examined the concept of board atrophy, a general deterioration of board stewardship, and how it is impacting an orchestra’s fundraising performance amidst the economic downturn. For the most part, this is every bit as serious a threat to the future of orchestras as the actual economic downturn. Today’s installment is going to examine a recent concessionary agreement at the Utah Symphony & Opera (US&O) that contains provisions designed to combat board atrophy… (more…)
A Worthwhile Concessionary Agreement Part 1
Amid the dizzying array of contract reopeners, work stoppages, and other fraught-filled collective bargaining negotiations since last fall, the ensuing agreements are more alike than not in that they contain some degree of compensation/benefit concessions. For the most part, these agreements have nothing special worth looking at but there are a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is from the Utah Symphony & Opera, which announced their concessionary agreement at the beginning of October. What makes this settlement worth examining is how it is designed to marginalize a syndrome rarely discussed in public forums: board atrophy… (more…)
RWOlson wrote:
Drew McManus wrote:
Richard wrote:
Mike Huebner wrote:
patty wrote:
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Gene De Lisa wrote:
Adaptistration is authored by orchestra consultant Drew McManus and since its launch in 2003, the blog has become standard reading for arts administrators and arts administration programs throughout the world.
