October 16, 2008 | Read Time: 2 minutes
NEW BOOKS
The Art of the Turnaround: Creating and Maintaining Healthy Arts Organizations
by Michael M. Kaiser
Arts organizations often find themselves in trouble because of certain inherent economic constraints, writes Michael M. Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a consultant who has “turned around” such groups as the American Ballet Theatre, in New York, and the Royal Opera House, in London. In a nutshell, he writes, costs rise, but because a certain number of performers are required for plays or performances, arts organizations cannot reduce labor expenses. And once a group has selected a venue, ticket sales cannot be expanded beyond the space.
Mr. Kaiser leads off his book by listing 10 rules that apply to any turnaround at an arts organization. For example, he says, a group must have one strong leader who has a plan, a focus on the present and future but not the past, a board that allows itself to be restructured, and an emphasis on regaining fiscal health, not just on cutting spending.
The following five chapters offer case studies of arts groups that Mr. Kaiser has helped fix. For example, he served as executive director of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Foundation from 1991 to 1993, when the group had a deficit of $1.5-million and employees and supporters were suffering from frustration and low morale.
Mr. Kaiser interviewed board and staff members at the organization and came up with a marketing and fund-raising plan focused on building public familiarity with the group and substantially increasing donations. He had dancers perform in high-profile places, such as The Phil Donahue Show and an inaugural gala for President Bill Clinton. He also was instrumental in asking the group’s board members to donate a minimum of $10,000 per year and attracting several new members to the board.
By the end of his term, the Alvin Ailey organization had a surplus of funds and had won an important $1-million award from the National Arts Stabilization Fund designed to support minority arts organizations in New York City. (To read an excerpt based on the 10 rules Mr. Kaiser includes in his book, see the Guide to Managing Nonprofits in this issue.)
Publisher: University Press of New England, One Court Street, Suite 250, Lebanon, N.H. 03766-1446; (800) 421-1561; fax (603) 643-1540; http://www.upne.com; 204 pages; $26; ISBN 978-1-58465-735-4.
