Management And The Arts

    Management and the Arts begins each chapter with a short list of terms for the business. Then it lists the types of organizations involved in the arts; museums, theaters, operas, dance schools, etc. Each one has a numerical code to use, and categorized with the specific types of visual or performing arts they promote. The first chapter ends with an introduction to basic management and division of labor.

    The second chapter deals more with the business side of the arts, along with a brief history. When art-related businesses become more competitive, a  stronger management base is needed. For instance, small vaudeville houses didn’t require much in the way of management. All they had to do with have a sign up roster, let the juggler/dancer/comedian/musician go on for 15 minutes, and pay him his $10. Whatever preparation the performers did was at their own expense. An opera, however, needed a greater management structure; rehearsals had to be scheduled, sets had to be built, the wardrobe had to be cared for, makeup artists were needed, musicians had to be hired and rehearsed, and rehearsal time had to be paid for.

    Management and the Arts covers the business strategies that are germane to the different types of organizations for the arts. For instance, a theater is usually open at night, while a museum is open all day long. A theater manager has to take care of a greater amount of scheduling than a museum, because the same artworks sit in the museum all day, and paintings don’t have to be booked the way actors do. However, a museum needs someone to curate the shows if it wants to attract paying visitors. If it needs money from grants, somebody will have to write the proposal.

    Further chapters cover fundraising for different types of arts organization, then the more “retail” points like tickets sales and souvenirs, then comes the advertising, promotion, and public relations. I find this book thorough and informative, but it’s lacking in real-life examples. Each chapter should include a story about an arts organization that either succeeded or failed thanks to its management. I recall back in the mid-1990’s, the Syracuse State in upstate New York was bankrupt, and it bounced back through a successful public relations campaign. Part of the promotion involved allowing ticket buyers to return their tickets within a certain time, as well as a humorous  advertising effort.

   I recommend this book to anyone involved in the business of arts management. With all the museums and theaters in New York City, it might as well be required reading for anyone looking to work at Lincoln Center or any of the numerous museums we have.